Of Unexpected Deliveries and Doorsteps
by HatefulRodeo
Summary: Stunned, Severus just stood there looking at the baby in the basket on his doorstep. What the ****! Why was there a child on his stoop? Befuddled he saw the letter stuffed into the side of the carrier and opened it. My take on what would happen if Petunia gave Harry to Severus. Warnings Inside! So please read them. The pairing is Lucius/Severus and eventually Theo/Harry.
1. Chapter 1

_Author: HatefulRodeo_

_Story: Of Unexpected Deliveries and Doorsteps_

_Notes: A/U, OOC, Yaoi between Severus and Lucius (for now until Harry gets older and I pair him up with Theo); they have been together since their Hogwarts days. Essentially, I'm throwing a total wrench into the Harry Potter books. Severus is loyal to himself but leaning more toward the Light since the Dark Lord is certifiably insane not because of his love for Lily Evans. He cares for her but not as a lover and warns Dumbledore about the threat to her family because he doesn't want to see her dead. He doesn't take a vow to protect Harry but he does agree to spy for the Light while spying for the Dark Lord. However, the Dark Lord finds and murders Lily and James anyway and Harry lives as per Canon; after that point it will change severely. Oh and Harry is not a Horcrux. There will be Horcruxes but only two; the diary and the locket. The locket is kept at Hogwarts in the Room of Requirement for the purposes of my story. One last thing Harry is delivered to Petunia's on November Second. HOLY SHITE THAT IS A LONG A/N! Enjoy Lovelies!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I will make no money from the posting of this story._

_**~*~*~*Chapter 1*~*~*~**_

_Our story begins on the morning of November Second when a horse like, blonde, woman opens the door to fetch the morning delivery of milk..._

Petunia Dursley was normal, thank you very much. She had no time, or patience, for freakishness; that was why she cut all ties with her once beloved younger sister, Lily. She just couldn't tolerate the weirdness her sister immersed herself in at that school. And then she'd met Vernon, a man who treasured his normalcy above all else. What would he think if he knew about her sister's abnormality?

He'd divorce her and take her Diddidums away. That was something she would never allow to happen. She loved her son too much to lose him and if severing ties with her last remaining blood relation was what had to be done then so be it. If Petunia only knew what a shock she would face when she opened the door to collect the morning delivery of fresh milk.

Upon opening the front door the blonde woman looked down and spotted the milk along with another unplanned, and equally unexpected, delivery; a basket wherein lied a small child no older than two. The boy, she assumed it was a boy due to his blue blanket, had a crown of soft black hair and pale skin flushed with sleep and probably cold as it was November and the baby was only covered by that thin blanket.

Petunia was curious as to why a child would be left on her doorstep? From looking at the boy she could see nothing wrong with it. Filled with a burning curiosity, something she usually squashed ruthlessly, Petunia crouched down and examined the basket closely and noticed a letter tucked into the folds of the blanket. The envelope had her name scrawled on the front in loopy script.

Her curiosity spiking higher she grasped the letter and opened it tentatively; what was written inside made her heart sink and her blood freeze all at once. Lily and James Potter were dead and she was expected to look after their son, Harry. Harry, apparently that was the name of the little boy on her doorstep.

Petunia was stunned for a moment before anger set in; how dare this Dumbledore character assume she would take him! The blonde woman knew the man was the Headmaster at that freakish school, Hogwarts, but other than that she knew not a thing about him, or how to contact him to take Harry back. Not to mention she was pretty sure Lily would never have wanted Petunia to raise her child in the event of her death; her red headed, now deceased, sister knew how the Dursleys felt about magic.

She couldn't keep him here! She couldn't! It was impossible! Vernon would find out about her sister's magic and he would leave her. Even if her husband stayed this child's life would be filled with hate and abuse! Vernon would not stand for anyone, or anything, messing with his normal, ordinary, pleasant life. And Harry would do just that; first with his mere presence in the house then with his magic when it started to manifest! No, no, the boy needed to go!

Thinking quickly she made a plan; she would leave her sister's child with the only magical person she knew of besides Lily and James; Severus Snape, that awful, poor, boy who used to live near them when her family lived on Spinner's End. A soft whimper brought her out of her racing thoughts and she looked at the waking babe.

The child had Lily's pretty eyes, bright, shining, emerald green orbs. Looking into those eyes Petunia knew she had to get this boy away from her home before anyone else found him. The neighbors would ask question; questions she had no desire to answer, ever. And Vernon would surely want to know about the child's presence as well. No, it would be better if no one ever knew the boy had been left on the doorstep of Number Four Privet Drive.

With a deep breath she picked up the basket and went back inside. Closing the door, Petunia made her way quietly, and quickly, up the stairs to her sleeping son's room. Once inside she quickly changed the boy's soiled diaper and left, thankful that Dudley was still sound asleep. After that Petunia went to the kitchen to prepare a bit of mashed banana for the hungry child. She may not like magic but this was a child, her sister's child, and Petunia would not let him go hungry.

Once the little boy was fed, and his face cleaned of the banana decorating it, she picked up the envelope and added a few lines for Snape. She hoped he was still living in Cokeworth and that her early morning drive would not be for naught. When she finished writing she left a note for her husband, explaining her absence; Petunia claimed she needed to visit the grocery store and run a few errands before the shops became busy.

Vernon wouldn't question her; the man had no reason to. Besides it was Monday and Vernon didn't go into work until nine thirty on Mondays; Petunia would be back well before then as it was only after six. The drive to Cokeworth would take about an hour and a half and she didn't anticipate hitting any traffic at this hour.

Resolved she collected a packet of diapers, wipes, clothes, formula, and anything else she could think of that a baby would need, and placed them in a brown paper grocery bag. She wouldn't leave Snape without a means to care for the child for a few days. Eventually, the man would have to visit a shop and restock but for now he would have what was needed to care for Harry.

With a sad smile she glanced down at the child in the basket; the boy had such intelligent eyes. It almost seemed like he knew what was happening and was resolved to it. But that was ridiculous wasn't it? According to the letter the boy was only fifteen months old but those eyes showed a maturity to them. But then again the boy did witness his mother's death so who knew the effect that would have on the boy's mind?

"Alright, Harry, it's time to go. I'm sorry I couldn't keep you. I may not have liked my sister but she was my sister, nonetheless. But you'll have a better life where I'm taking you. Vernon wouldn't take well to having one of your kind in his home and he would treat you badly; I can't allow that to happen."

The boy appeared to nod which made her chuckle; "Such a smart child. Now, let's go and get this over with." Reaffirming her resolve she made her way out of the house and settled Harry into Dudley's car seat in the back seat. Petunia slipped into the driver's seat and with a flick of the key they were on their way to Spinner's End and Severus Snape.

~*~*~*POV Change~*~*~*

Severus Snape was still in shock! His Lord was dead, well not dead but gone. Gone! And for now the wizarding, and muggle, world would have peace. That peace was given to them by none other than his nemesis', and former best friend's, son; Harry James Potter. It curdled his gut that Lily had to die but according to Dumbledore it was her sacrifice that allowed Harry to live on and destroy the Dark Lord's body.

The aged Headmaster had cautioned that Voldemort would be back; how the Dark Lord planned to come back the old coot wouldn't say. Severus pushed his useless thoughts away and made his way to the small kitchen in his house on Spinner's End; he, along with all the Hogwarts' staff, was given a few days off to celebrate the fall of You-Know-Who. Severus was still trying to adjust to the fact that he wouldn't have to deal with spying on a snakefaced madman anymore.

He was free, at least for a little while! There was so much he wanted to do, so many places he wanted to go, and so many potions he wanted to brew, now that he had free time. With a small smile on his face he set about making a strong cup of Darjeeling; his favored tea. The sound of the wards surrounding his property being tripped broke him out of content mindset and immediately put him on guard.

Dumbledore had spoken for him so the Ministry was forced to bugger off; they wouldn't be throwing him into Azkaban any time soon but what if the intruder wasn't an Auror or Ministry worker? What if it was a Death Eater coming to pay him a visit? He wasn't sure how that would go? Did his fellow Death Eaters know about Dumbledore's support or would they be seeking sanctuary with him?

Wand in hand he crept to the front door and cautiously looked out the window next to the door; he saw nothing but a car speeding away. That was odd; his damned curiosity peeked he opened the door slowly, ready to defend himself from any attacks should they come. However, no one was there. A small cooing noise made him look down and into bright green eyes.

Stunned, Severus just stood there looking at the baby in the basket on his doorstep. What the fuck?! Why was there a child on his stoop? Befuddled he saw the letter stuffed into the side of the carrier and opened it. His jaw was on the floor by the time he finished reading; Dumbledore had left Harry, a magical child, with Petunia Dursley! Severus couldn't think of a worse person to raise Harry! The horse faced bitch despised magic and everything else about it.

Well, apparently, not everything as she was trying to do right by her sister's son. The woman admitted in writing that the now orphaned boy would not have a good life with her family but why the hell had she chosen him?! Well that answer was obvious, and also in the letter; Severus Snape was the only magical person she knew. However, what he would do now was unclear.

A louder squealing noise brought his attention back to the brat on his doorstep; "Buggering hell! Alright, let's get you inside until I figure out what to do with you! Blasted Dumbledore! Blasted Dark Lord! Blasted James Potter! Blasted whole damn world!" The baby shrieking with laughter made him smile, grudgingly; "Indeed, child, indeed."

Snatching up the basket and the bag full of baby supplies he turned around and went inside. The snarky Potions Master made his way back into the kitchen and completed making his tea, he decided against adding a large amount of Fire Whiskey; he did have a small child to look after. Harry watched him from his place on the kitchen table the whole time. The boy was strangely quiet for one so young; Draco never shut up so this was a welcome surprise. Maybe, caring for Harry wouldn't be so bad.

Besides who else would? Petunia made it plain she didn't want the boy and Sirius Black, the child's useless dogfather, had ditched him in favor of seeking out Pettigrew to exact his revenge. Now the great twat was in Azkaban; no trial was given or asked for. That seemed odd to Severus, especially since Dumbledore knew the Black outcast was innocent of his alleged crimes.

But Severus knew there was more to Albus Dumbledore than that finely crafted grandfatherly mask; the man was devious when he had to be and twisted things to suit his needs. He wondered why he'd allowed Harry to go to Petunia's? Lily had spoken about her sister's hatred of magic often enough and his former Headmaster was well aware of it.

So why in the seven hells did he send Lily's child to the muggles? With an eye roll he pressed his circular thoughts down with his Occlumency Shields. It would do no good to ponder, and stress, about things he would not find the answers to at the moment; if Severus ever found the answers to his questions at all. Sighing, he looked at the little brat on his table; "So you're fifteen months, then? Draco is already toddling around everywhere but I'm not sure if all babies are at this age?"

Harry babbled something while clenching his little fist, pulling an unwillingly given laugh out of the serious Potions Master; "Alright, then brat let's see what you can do, hmm." A happy coo from Harry was his answer. Sweeping up his cup of tea and the basket containing his new charge Severus went into the living room to see what would happen.

He sat himself on the floor near the coffee table, placed his cup of tea out of the way, and removed Harry from the basket, sitting him down on the worn, but soft, rug. The boy sat there for a bit but then began to wiggle onto his hands and knees before pushing himself onto his little feet. The little child then began to waddle his way over to Severus, a bright happy smile on his little lips.

Severus felt uncharacteristically proud that the boy could walk so well and when the child came to stand next to him he snatched the boy into his arms to tickle his tummy. If anyone saw the stoic, sometimes cold, Potions Master at that moment they would have called St. Mungo's to schedule a psych consult for Severus.

But he couldn't help it! The boy was adorable and seemed quite smart. And as he thought before the boy had no one to care for him. Dumbledore threw him away and gave him to hateful muggles. His idiotic dogfather abandoned him for petty revenge so that left him; not the best choice for a parental figure but what could he do?

He may not be the best choice to raise Harry; his hatred for James Potter aside, but he knew he would care for the boy and give him a decent life. With a heavy sigh he looked into those shining emeralds; "What am I going to do with you, brat?"

A bubbly giggle and a little fist grasping his long raven hair was Harry's contribution to the conversation; "Hm, thank you for that riveting answer, Harry. Without you I would cease to function. What do you say brat should I keep you?" Another tug of his hair, but this time Harry began gnawing on the silken tresses, was Severus' affirmative answer.

Well it seemed like the little brat was teething; fantastic! With a wave of his wand Severus conjured a hollow ring made of plastic. Once the ring was created he silently cast Aguamenti to fill the ring with water and then he cast a Freezing charm on the gathered water. Satisfied with his quick work for the moment he handed the teething ring to Harry and watched the boy chomp on it with delight.

It seemed that trick worked on all teething demons; Merlin knew how fussy Draco was when he cut his first tooth. Severus had avoided the boy until Lucius showed up in his living room over the summer, looking frazzled and exhausted. It seemed Narcissa hadn't taken any further interest in her son, leaving Lucius to not only work but tend to his heir when he returned home. The blonde man refused to leave his son's upbringing totally to the Malfoy Manor House Elves.

Salazar, how Severus hated Narcissa Druella Malfoy, nee Black; the little bint was a gold digging wretch! She'd only married Lucius for the money and prestige while Lucius married her to produce an heir but the Malfoy Lord presumed, as had Severus, that the woman would at least care for Draco; apparently not. Narcissa believed that carrying and birthing Draco was as far as she needed to concern herself.

Well that was just fine with Lucius and Severus; they adored the little blonde enough to make up for his mother's frigid attitude and indifference. It hurt to know that if it hadn't been for the need of a pureblood heir Lucius and Severus would have married and had children but alas it didn't happen that way and here they were.

He'd been named Draco's godfather though and that meant a lot; Lucius even stipulated in his will that upon his death Draco would be given to Severus, if the little blonde was under the age of seventeen, and not Narcissa. Not that the frigid bint would care very much at all what happened to her son, as long as she got her money and status she was fine. But now he had Harry who would become like a son to him; Lord only knew how his blonde lover would take that news.

Hopefully well but who knew with the Malfoy Lord. But Severus was confident that his lover would accept Harry into their lives. It wasn't like Lucius was loyal to the Dark Lord either; he stayed because he feared what would happen if he left. The blonde man wouldn't risk his son's life for anything so that left him to continue serving an insane snake-faced megalomaniac.

He also declined to spy on the Dark Lord as Severus did. Lucius was an accomplished Occlumens but nowhere near as proficient as the onyx eyed man was at hiding his thoughts, memories, and feelings. So spying was out for his love as no one except those with extreme skill at Occlumency could fool the Dark Lord.

But now that said madman was gone things would change for Severus and his lover as well as their children. Funny, he was already thinking of Harry as his; maybe being around Draco had softened him to babies? The snarky man never liked them before. Shrugging, he glanced down at Harry, who now sitting down in his lap and still chomping, happily, on his conjured chew toy.

He'd have to owl Lucius and ask him to come and speak with him at Spinner's End and not Hogwarts; his choice to return to his childhood home was rather last minute but he knew he'd get no peace at Hogwarts with all the celebrating. No doubt the Malfoy Lord was swamped with work and trying to keep himself out of jail for suspected Death Eater activities.

However, Severus was confident his lover could slither his way out of going to prison; the blonde man was a Slytherin through and through after all. He would also need Lucius' political weight, and considerable pull, to get the papers filed with the Ministry to seize Magical Guardianship over Harry.

He doubted anyone would question Lucius about the Boy-Who-Lived being taken in by a supposed Death Eater and even if they wanted to their fear of the frigid Malfoy Lord would stop their lips from moving. Lucius was truly terrifying when he wanted to be and he had trusted associates in every Department in the Ministry that would do his bidding without question. So, it was only a matter of time before Harry James Potter was his legally.

With a huff he picked up his tea and took a sip; he did love warming charms! His tea was still pleasantly hot even though it was sitting there for a good ten minutes. He was just about to summon a quill, ink, and parchment for his missive to his lover when a horrid stench hit his sensitive nose.

Crinkling his nose he looked at a very focused, and determined looking, Harry and immediately knew what the little child was doing. With a grimace he rose, picked up the now reeking baby and made his way back to the kitchen where he left the bag full of baby things.

Merlin! The boy stunk to high heaven! Hopefully, the horse face had given him diapers! Lucius' letter could wait until the child in his arms wasn't considered a biohazard to most people. A cooing noise left Harry as Severus made his way back to the kitchen; "I'm glad you're pleased with yourself, Harry. I think you could give Stinksap a run for its money. Merlin! Child what did that foul woman feed you?!"

_**Well that is chapter one! I mentioned this in my A/N above but I'll mention it again; Severus and Lucius have been together since their school days. Lucius married Narcissa for a pureblood heir but men can have children in my story. **_

_**However, Lucius and Severus will not have a child, yet. Any child they had would be illegitimate and not considered to be a true Malfoy. Not Lucius' choice it is the way his family is (in my fic). Oh and Abraxas died when Draco was a newborn from Dragon Pox so he will not be around.**_

_**This is my first foray into Severitus so bear with me!**_

_**All Mistakes Are My Own!**_


	2. Chapter 2

Author: HatefulRodeo

Story: Of Unexpected Deliveries and Doorsteps

Notes: Hello Lovelies! So more plot this chapter and then we will have time skips coming in later chapters. I don't think you all want a day to day report of Severus and Harry's lives. And Lucius makes an appearance this chapter; he may be a bit OOC but he's with the man he loves so I doubt he'd be too much of an uptight brat. Anywho, THANKS TO ALL THAT REVIEWED, FAV'D, AND FOLLOWED! I really was surprised to see the response this story got! Gracias Loves!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I will make no money from the posting of this story.

Previously:

With a huff he picked up his tea and took a sip; he did love warming charms! His tea was still pleasantly hot even though it was sitting there for a good ten minutes. He was just about to summon a quill, ink, and parchment for his missive to his lover when a horrid stench hit his sensitive nose.

Crinkling his nose he looked at a very focused, and determined looking, Harry and immediately knew what the little child was doing. With a grimace he rose, picked up the now reeking baby and made his way back to the kitchen where he left the bag full of baby things.

Merlin! The boy stunk to high heaven! Hopefully, the horse face had given him diapers! Lucius' letter could wait until the child in his arms wasn't considered a biohazard to most people. A cooing noise left Harry as Severus made his way to the kitchen; "I'm glad you're pleased with yourself Harry. I think you could Stinksap a run for its money. Merlin! Child what did that foul woman feed you?!"

~*~*~*Chapter 2*~*~*~

Severus and Harry settled in during that first day; wherever Severus went Harry was right behind him. Granted the child really couldn't keep up with the tall man but when the little boy fell too far behind he'd plop down on his bum until his new caretaker noticed him and picked him up.

It amused the Potions Master that the child was already so attached to him. But it was to be expected; over the past three days the boy had lost everything he ever knew. Harry lost his mother and father along with his dogfather, who was probably useless but at least the mutt was familiar to the small boy. Harry lost his home and all his familiar surroundings.

So it only made sense that the little Potter, soon to be Potter-Snape if Severus got his way, would latch onto the first constant presence in his little world. Snape also cackled inwardly when he thought of what James Potter would do if he knew his heir was now being looked after by his schoolyard nemesis, Severus Snape. The bastard was probably rolling in his grave; something that pleased the onyx eyed man to no end.

A high pitched wail brought his attention from the stew on the stove and back onto his little ward seated at the table in his transfigured highchair; again Severus thanked his experience in taking care of his godson. He would have been lost without it; "What can I do for you, Harry?" A fist showed into Harry's mouth accompanied by more babbling was what he got in terms of an answer.

"Ah, so you're hungry then? Well it is to be expected but we have to wait a bit longer until Lucius and Draco joins us. According to his letter he should be here in ten minutes and Lucius is always on time." Harry cooed, in what Severus believed to be an irritated manner, but stopped fussing so much.

The Potions Master smiled at his charge; the boy really was a good kid. He ate quietly with little fuss, granted he smelled to high heaven when he went to the bathroom but he never threw a fit when he needed to be changed, and he was interested in everything. This fascination led Severus to believe the boy had inherited Lily's intelligence; which pleased Snape to no end.

He would not abide a stupid dunderheaded child! Not in a million years! However, Severus didn't have to worry about that. Harry would get the best he could give him; the child wouldn't want for anything, within reason. He had no time for spoiled brats but he would indulge Harry's curiosity and drive to learn to the child's content.

The Potions Master heard the floo alarm go off and turned back to the stew to turn down the burner so it wouldn't scald to the bottom of the pot. The raven haired man enjoyed cooking, it was like potion brewing without the risk of explosions, most of the time.

With purposeful strides he scooped Harry out of his little chair and made his way toward the floo to greet his lover. When he stepped into the living room he watched Lucius place Draco on the ground and dust him off, removing any ash from the little blonde.

Severus smirked and put Harry down on the floor, interested on seeing what the little raven would do when he met someone new. Of course, the little Potter's curiosity spiked and he waddled over to the two blondes, babbling cutely. The onyx eyed man laughed outright when Lucius' silver eyes bugged out when he saw the child; "Severus, what is going on? I read your letter but it was so cryptic. Explain this!"

Rolling his dark eyed he stepped into the room and pecked Lucius on the cheek and stooped to greet his godson. Draco gave him a wet kiss on the nose before toddling over to Harry and grasping his hand; a stream of baby babbling from each boy was heard as they made each other's acquaintance. The two adults watched amused as their boys made friends.

Harry turned, still hand in hand with Draco, and led them toward the toys in the corner that Severus transfigured earlier. The two boys sat down, gracelessly, and began to play. This pleased Severus immensely to know that Draco and Harry could get along; it would have been hard to get on if his charge and his godson didn't like each other.

Lucius cleared his throat while giving Severus a sharp look that said 'Tell me or I'm going to have a fit, in a manner totally befitting a Malfoy, of course.' The dark man rolled his eyes again and indicated for them to sit on the sofa; where they could talk and still watch the boys. Apparently, Harry's appetite was a thing of the past now that he had someone to play with.

Smiling again he took Lucius smooth hand in his rougher one; "Alright, here's the situation I find myself in. This morning, as I said in my letter, I found an unexpected delivery on my doorstep. That delivery was on Harry James Potter." Here Lucius gasped in shock; "Wait, Severus! You mean to tell me that child is the very child who vanquished the Dark Lord?!"

Severus merely nodded while the blonde man looked over at Harry; "Severus, I think I love that boy!" Snape laughed; "Yes, it was due to Harry that our Lord fell. I have the letter from Dumbledore explaining vaguely how it happened, not to mention I've spoken to the old coot about that Halloween night, but nothing in depth."

"To sum it up Lily gave her life for her soon to live. How she accomplished it I cannot say but, you and I know, there are rituals. Certain life for life rituals, which would enable the woman to save her son. Lily was always extremely clever so I wouldn't put it past her to use one to save her son."

The Malfoy Lord nodded, tracking what Severus was saying so far. "Alright, I can understand how Harry could have defeated our Lord but why is here with you, love?" The slender raven haired male sighed; "That is where it gets wonky. Dumbledore's first choice for Harry's caretaker was Petunia, Lily's vile muggle sister."

Lucius looked ill; "That old codger wanted to leave a magical child with a muggle! It's disgusting, it's criminal, and to think that man would leave a magical child, not to mention the heir to an Ancient House, with hateful muggles." Severus just let Lucius rant for a bit before he squeezed the raving blonde's hand to shut him up. When his lover quieted down to grumbling Severus continued.

"Unfortunately, Dumbledore didn't take into account that Petunia wouldn't want him, or care enough, to take Harry in. The muggle bint bundled Harry up and drove him over to me. Now, Harry is in my care and I want to have legal custody over him. I have a feeling Dumbledore has something planned for Harry in the future and I will not let that man hurt that child."

"Lucius, that child has done enough for our world and he isn't even two years old! I will not let him become a pawn in the old man's crusade. Will you help me get custody over Harry?" The Malfoy Lord sat in thought, no doubt going over every scenario in his brilliant mind before he answered.

A smirk broke out on the blonde's handsome face; "Oh, Severus that won't be a problem! You see when Dumbledore ditched Harry on the muggle's doorstep he took himself out of the equation totally, surrendering any right he had over the child and gave them to Petunia. Then Petunia surrendered those same rights to you when she left the boy on your doorstep."

"I will need that letter, though. Also, we should pay Petunia a visit to collect her memories. When my contact in the Ministry sees all this they will have no choice but to see things our way and award you Harry's Magical Guardianship. May I see the letter?" Severus was smirking right back at his wily lover and waved his hand to summon the letter left with his charge.

The parchment flew into his hand and was promptly turned over to Lucius, who began to read it with great interest. There were several "Hmm's" and "Ah Hah's" from the blonde until he set the letter onto the coffee table; "Well, it seems to pretty straight forward; Dumbledore turned over custody and guardianship to Petunia."

"The muggle woman turned that guardianship over to you when she left the boy on your doorstep. But I've said all that already. However, I believe there may be Blood Wards surrounding the muggle's home. If that's the case we need to move quickly before the wards fall; which they will since Harry isn't there to anchor and charge them. If the wards fall then Dumbledore may be alerted to Harry not being at his aunt's home and the old coot will come looking for him."

Severus merely nodded; "I came to the same conclusion about the Blood Wards. I won't let that ma take Harry away, not after he just left him on that muggle's doorstep. That was why I wanted you to come here tonight." Lucius cocked an eyebrow in mock affront and spoke in a sultry tone; "Now, Severus, is that the only reason you wanted me to come tonight..." The Potions Master smirked and answered in a husky voice; "Oh no that's not the only reason I wanted you to come tonight."

Before he could press his thin lips to the blonde's plump ones his pant leg was grabbed and tugged by a very happy Harry. With a huff he looked down at his little charge who was now trying to climb into his lap, chuckling he scooped his little brat into his lap; "And what do you want, Harry?" He looked over and saw Lucius was in the same position he was; an adorably squirming blonde boy in his lap.

Both men looked at each other with looks of fond amusement on their face; "Well, Sev, it seems the boys like each other." The Malfoy Lord looked down at his son; "Draco," the little blonde looked up at his father with those trademark Malfoy silver eyes. With his son's attention firmly on him Lucius continued; "This is Harry, Draco. Can you day 'Hello' to Harry?"

Severus watched his little raven in his lap turn toward the two blondes when he heard his name, both dark haired males watching the two across from them. Draco looked thoughtful for a moment before a happy grin broke out on his cherubic face; "Hewwo Haree."

Both adults laughed lightly while Harry bounced and clapped his little hands together as if to applaud Draco's hard work. Severus looked down at his charge and thought what the hell; if Harry couldn't do it it was no big deal but it would be good to see where the child was in terms of speaking; "Harry, can you say 'Hello' to Draco, too."

The green eyed baby pouted then clenched his little fists in determination; "Heooo Daco." Severus and Lucius verbally praised Harry's attempt at speaking while Draco clapped for his new friend.

The feeling of levity left Severus in a second when he thought of something; "Lucius, what if the Ministry won't let me have Harry? What if they say I'm too dangerous or unfit to care for him? It's disgusting how much I care for the child and it's only been one day, not even a whole day!"

Lucius gave his lover a sad smile, both of them knew Severus may appear to be cold but the dark man had a big heart and once you got inside of his walls he never let you go. It appeared that Harry had already, unknowingly, weaseled his way into Severus' heart and life; "Severus, love, they won't say a word. The man I'm going to see doesn't care about Dumbledore or the Dark Lord."

"The man only cares about Galleons and as long as I pay him enough he'll put the papers through. Once those papers are filed they are irrevocable. Once those papers are filed Harry will be become your son in all but blood and if you chose later on you can blood adopt him to strengthen your claim on him even further. No one will be able to legally take him from you."

"However, if it comes out that Harry is now your son someone may try to take him from you. I think we need to ward this house to the teeth and I'll allow one of my house elves to come during the day to stay with Harry; Draco can visit to keep the boy company while you're at work. He won't be safe at Hogwarts so close to Dumbledore and his meddling."

"I also think that after this school year you should take a sabbatical from teaching and move to another home where no one knows you and cannot report back to Dumbledore. I'll go through my list of properties and once I find one suitable I'll transfer it over to you. You and Harry will have a safe place to live and you can brew your potions to your heart's content."

"Draco can even come visit during the day while I'm working; we'll be like the little family we always wanted." Severus just sat there with Harry squirming in lap and let the boy chew on his hair. The Potions Master was deep in thought; what Lucius said made sense. He knew at some level he'd have to leave Hogwarts, not that he had an issue there. He despised teaching those dunderheaded idiots!

He would go back to that school when Harry got his Hogwarts letter but no sooner. With him no longer teaching at Hogwarts he would have to find a new place to live; too many people knew he lived at Spinner's End, it wouldn't be safe for Harry. He hated to take assistance from anyone but this was Lucius, the man he loved.

So it wouldn't damage his pride too badly to accept Lucius' generosity. Not to mention they would become like a little family; something Severus always wanted them to become. Damn Lucius for throwing that reason up in his face; totally Slytherin of him but Severus really shouldn't expect anything else from his longtime lover. The man generally got what he wanted; Severus was proof of that.

With a great sigh he looked down at Harry's drooly face; "Well, brat, what do you think of this plan, hmm?" The little raven babbled and attempted to stand and throw his little arms around Severus' neck; Harry failed spectacularly and ended up with his little face in Severus' chest.

The Potions Master laughed; "Well then I think Harry and I are both in agreement. After this school year we'll move into your house, Lucius." The Malfoy Lord smirked; "Of course. Now, Draco and I are starving. I believe there was an offer of dinner mentioned in your letter."

Harry tugged on Severus' hair again, alerting the man to the fact that he was hungry as well. The dark man stood, Harry sliding naturally onto his slim hip; "Alright brats. Let's get you all fed." Draco and Harry laughed and clapped while Lucius pouted, no doubt sulking about being called a brat.

Sometimes it was so easy to rile a Malfoy; something Severus greatly enjoyed doing since their school days. Someone needed to keep the Malfoy Lord humble. Salazar knew the man's ego was inflated enough as it was!

Alright, we've met Lucius and baby Draco; who I think would be adorable chubby and cute! As I said next chapter will have a time skip so be aware of that. Also, I may have a bit of slash featured between Lucius and Severus.

I don't think I'm going to have assigned roles of top and bottom for these two. Both Lucius and Severus are strong men in this story so having one of them be on the bottom all the time just doesn't fly with me; not the way I'm portraying them in this fic. So if this bothers you hit the BACK button, please. I have no desire to hear any complaints about this. Thanks!

Another point is Dumbledore; the man will be shown to be manipulative and untrustworthy. So, again, if you don't like that hit the BACK button. The Dark Lord is up in the air at this point but he won't be as batshit crazy as he was in Canon.

All Mistakes Are My Own!


	3. Chapter 3

_Author: HatefulRodeo_

_Story: Of Unexpected Deliveries and Doorsteps_

_Notes: Hello Lovelies! So here's chapter three; it's a bit fluffy! We will have our first hint of slash! You've been WARNED! Again, there will be time-skips so be aware; we will be skipping forward each chapter. Anywho, THANKS TO ALL THAT REVIEWED, FAV'D, AND FOLLOWED! I'm still really surprised to see the response this story got! Gracias Loves!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I will make no money from the posting of this story._

_Previously:_

_The Potions Master laughed; "Well then I think Harry and I are both in agreement. After this school year we'll move into your house, Lucius." The Malfoy Lord smirked; "Of course. Now, Draco and I are starving. I believe there was an offer of dinner mentioned in your letter."_

_Harry tugged on Severus' hair again, alerting the man to the fact that he was hungry as well. The dark man stood, Harry sliding naturally onto his slim hip; "Alright brats. Let's get you all fed." Draco and Harry laughed and clapped while Lucius pouted, no doubt sulking about being called a brat._

_Sometimes it was so easy to rile a Malfoy; something Severus greatly enjoyed doing since their school days. Someone needed to keep the Malfoy Lord humble. Salazar knew the man's ego was inflated enough as it was!_

**_~*~*~*Chapter 3*~*~*~_**

~*~*~Three Years Later*~*~*

Severus couldn't believe three years had flown by! It seemed like only yesterday he was opening the front door at Spinner's End and looking down to find a basket containing his son, Harry. Merlin! It felt like so little time had passed at all. But as with most good things the time had flown by. Three years of living in peace, three years of being Harry's father, and three years with no sign of the Dark Lord; it was the happiest Severus had ever been!

It hadn't been easy, not at all, but they'd made it work. Moving to France was a good idea; no one knew them here in Saintes so the four males were free to move about as they normally would. Of course, they'd warded the house securely to make sure there were no unannounced, or unwelcome, visitors.

But since they moved to the outskirts of Saintes they hadn't seen anyone they knew. It was quite nice to speak and walk amongst people without the constant stares of hatred or murmurs of Death Eater scum being heard. But none of this; the move to France, gaining Harry's Guardianship, and several other good things would have been possible without his powerful blonde lover.

Lucius was his lifesaver and within twenty-four hours of Severus telling the Malfoy Lord about Harry's new place in his life the Guardianship papers were filed with the Ministry; no one in the wizarding world was the wiser to Harry's new caretaker.

He was very grateful for Lucius' discretion in handling the matter. All the Potions Master had to do was provide his memories of that November morning and give Lucius the letter left to him by Petunia. The Malfoy Lord had taken care of the rest.

It always amazed Severus what having a lot of money could do. And according to Lucius he'd spent quite the sum on making sure Severus secured Harry's Guardianship without anyone being the wiser to contest it, namely Albus Dumbledore.

Dumbledore; that name sent Severus into a rage. He was still coming to terms with the fact that his ex-employer had sent Harry to live with vile muggles. It was inexcusable, especially since Severus knew many wizarding families would have taken the boy in and loved him.

However, the old coot chose Petunia Dursley; it confirmed to the Potions Master that the Headmaster was either senile, and since that was unlikely, or he wanted Harry to be raised weak and unsure of himself and his worth. Also, his little raven would have been ignorant of the magical world and the way things worked within it, leaving Harry vulnerable to manipulations; no doubt the old man's plan from the start.

Dumbledore knew the Dark Lord wasn't gone so what better way to ensure his defeat when he returned than to use the very child that brought about his downfall in the first place. Indeed, his beautiful, loving, boy would be groomed as a weapon, a pig for slaughter. Well Severus, and Lucius, would not allow it. They would raise both their sons to be smart, savvy, and watchful.

They would also teach the boys an unbiased view of magic; no foolish diatribes on blood purity would be heard. Severus was a half-blood and every bit as powerful as Lucius was. Ergo the whole belief that purebloods were more powerful than half-bloods was rubbish. No, Draco and Harry would be raised to evaluate people based on their merits not their blood.

It surprised Severus how quickly Lucius agreed to this way of education but then again the man was Severus' lover and had been privy to many displays of magical strength from said half-blood man. At least the couple agreed on how to raise the boys. The two little brats were a handful on the best of days; often needing a united front from both Severus and Lucius to manage the madness, but the two men wouldn't trade their boys for the world.

And now he never had to worry about anyone trying to take his emerald eyed son away from him; again Dumbledore. The four year old raven was theirs and by Salazar he adored the little bundle of insanity that was Harry James Potter-Snape.

That child, with Draco right by his side, never seemed to stop moving, or talking, and if he wasn't doing those things he was reading his little books, absorbing all the information they contained. It made Severus chuckle when he thought of the rivalry his boys had going on between them; nothing serious or malicious. Thank Merlin for that.

It was more like sibling rivalry and Severus guessed that was what Harry and Draco were to each other. After all the two boys had spent almost every day together for the last three years. They fed of each other and complimented each other quite cutely; where Draco was calm and analytical Harry was brazen and fearless.

However, the two made a formidable team, often teaming up to succeed in whatever mischief they were concocting that day. Severus still didn't know how the two of them got the cookies off the top of the kitchen counter; the little brats weren't even tall enough to see the top of the counter yet! The onyx eyed man knew it wasn't accidental magic; nope, those little cheeky buggers had figured out a way to do it on their own.

But Severus knew he was lucky to have two boys who behaved themselves, most of the time. He was also grateful that they were both potty trained, could messily feed themselves, and slept through the damned night! Merlin and Morgana Severus never wanted to see another diaper, or be awakened at three a.m., again! Thank the Gods Lucius was there with him most of the time to assist him.

The Malfoy Lord had essentially moved into their French cottage when Severus did. Occasionally, the elder blonde would go back to Malfoy Manor for a business meeting, or to fetch something, but for the most part the two platinum blondes stayed with Severus and Harry. They truly were a family; a very interesting family but a family nonetheless.

Narcissa didn't seem to mind, or care, that her husband, and son, were gone all the time. The woman was hardly at the Manor herself; always travelling to Paris, London, and many other cities that were considered the social centers of the wizarding world. Of course, there were the many lovers Narcissa spread her legs for and Severus waited for the day when the little bitch would slip and get caught.

True, Lucius couldn't divorce her without grounds; well it was better to say he could but without a good reason the Malfoy Lord would take quite the bit of heat, and criticism, over the dissolution of his marriage with Narcissa. However, if little Cissa was ever caught spreading her legs Lucius wouldn't hesitate to divorce the bitch.

Leaving little Narcissa with nothing but what she entered the marriage with; a dowry of thirty thousand galleons. At least that was what Severus believed the amount was. That was something to think about; arranging for Narcissa to be caught with one of her lovers. It was quite shocking that he'd never thought of this before!

But before, or at least prior to three years ago, Severus hadn't been free to enjoy Lucius like he was now. Now that he'd spent so much time with his blonde lover like a real couple he didn't want to let him go, or go back to the way things were before they'd moved to France. This matter would need more consideration and once he'd made up his mind he'd talk to Lucius about it.

The Harpy would also never get to see Draco again if his parents divorced. It wasn't like she saw Draco now but the Potions Master knew the little bint was vindictive and would love to take Draco away from Lucius. The whore knew that it would hurt Lucius and that was what mattered to Narcissa. That she had no care, or want, to raise Draco was irrelevant as long as she won in hurting Lucius and corrupting his heir against him.

It was unlikely Narcissa would win custody of Draco if his birth parents ever split. The little blonde was Lucius' heir and the wizarding courts saw that as incredibly important. To separate an heir from the Lord of his House was almost unheard of unless abuse was proven without a doubt. Severus was left with little doubt that Draco would not be leaving France if his parents separated.

Getting rid of Narcissa wasn't the only thing on Severus' brilliant mind; with the years flying by Severus knew he would have to explain to Harry just how he came to be with them. He dreaded having to tell Harry that his daddy, and papa Luc, weren't truly his birth parents.

But blood aside the onyx eyed man adored the emerald eyed child as if he birthed him himself. And if anyone ever suggested anything otherwise Severus would hex them until they weren't considered human anymore.

Severus was just at a loss at how he should go about telling Harry about his birth parents? He despised James Potter and Lily Evans-Potter was once his best friend but he didn't really know her past their Hogwarts years. He would have to improvise but he wouldn't lie to Harry. The Potions Master would be honest and tell Harry what he wanted to know. He figured six or seven would be a good age to introduce the fact that Harry was adopted to the boys.

Draco already looked at the little raven as his little brother and took it upon himself to attempt to take care of the smaller boy. It was quite adorable watching the little blonde make Harry act as the princess to be rescued when they played knights and dragons. Generally, those times ended in Draco sulking and Harry stomping away in an indignant huff; all of this was to Severus' great amusement.

But in all honesty it was good that Harry and Draco had each other; they learned to share their toys, they also learned how to interact, and play appropriately. Severus knew this relationship between the boys was going to be a good thing when they got older. Harry would need someone his own age in his corner, someone who cared about Harry and not just because he was the Boy-Who-Lived.

Draco, like Harry, would also have his favor courted by other people. He was the Malfoy heir and that position brought with it a lot of power and responsibility. Many people would want to ingratiate themselves to Draco and earn his favor; some of these hangers-on would not be trustworthy or honorable. So having Harry there to support the youngest Malfoy would be good for Draco.

It was always nice to have someone you trusted watch your back. Severus had Lucius and that made all the difference sometimes. How many times during Death Eater raids had his blonde lover protected his flank? They were innumerable and the onyx eyed man treasured his lover all the more for his protectiveness.

Not that Severus was a weak man, hell no he wasn't, but it was nice to feel protected and cared for. Lucius made him feel special, wanted, and adored; something Severus wasn't familiar with at all when he first met the blonde at Hogwarts. Coming from a broken, and abusive, home like Severus had left him weary and untrusting of people and their motives.

The then Malfoy heir had chiseled away at his mask until he was firmly imbedded in Severus' life and heart. The stubborn blonde bastard never gave up on him and that was what he wanted for Harry and Draco; he wanted both of them to have someone to always watch out for them, and care for them, when things got tough.

Severus was aware that in the future the two boys would find sexual partners but until then the little blonde and raven haired boy would watch out for each other. Severus just hoped they would understand what Severus had to tell them about Harry's early life; before he became a Snape. The onyx eyed man snapped himself out of his thoughts; no use dwelling on something that's a few years away.

Just then a loud screech was heard throughout the house, making Severus groan. What the hell had they gotten into now? He'd left them in their playroom, which was charmed and spelled to the teeth to keep them safe, and somehow the two terrors still found a way to break, or damage, something. Thank Morgana for magic or they'd be broke paying for repair bills!

Striding quickly he walked into the brightly lit playroom and almost laughed when he saw Harry. Somehow the little raven had become stuck to the top of child-sized replica castle. But that wasn't the best thing not by a long shot! The best thing was the pink princess dress the little boy was wearing.

Clearing his throat, and ceasing his laughter when Harry scowled at him; which was more adorable than intimidating, he spoke. "Alright, Draco what did you do to Harry?" The smug looking blonde child tore his stare away from his handiwork and looked at his godfather; "Nothing Sev'rus, I wanted to play knight and Harry didn't want to be the princess and he was mean and said bad stuff so I got angry and this happened. Isn't it awesome! Harry looks like a proper princess!"

Fantastic! Accidental magic has reared its ugly head! Sighing, Severus drew his wand and with a few deft flicks Harry was dressed in his shorts and tee shirt again and unstuck from the top of the castle. The little raven sulked over to his daddy, lifting his arms in a plea to be picked up. Severus rolled his eyes but complied, scooping the brat into his arms.

Severus then turned to the little Malfoy menace; the blonde looked very pleased with what he'd accomplished. Of course, this wouldn't do. He was proud that Draco exerted enough power to transfigure Harry's clothes and somehow get the little emerald eyed child stuck onto the top of the toy castle but Draco needed to learn to control his emotions.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy." Here Draco realized it would be wise to look abashed and repentant, not that Severus bought it for one damn moment. Hell no, not on your life! Lucius gave that same look when he did something wrong and got called on it. With an internal snort at how much Draco and Lucius were alike he continued on with his reprimand; "You know better than to let your emotions go wild like that."

"You could have hurt Harry. Now, I know it is hard to control yourself all the time but you both will have to learn. How else will you control your magic? And if you can't control your magic you can never learn how to use it." Here two little boys looked horrified at not being able to learn magic but Severus continued onward; "Draco, I know why your magic reacted like this."

"And while I do not agree with what Harry said you have to respect his wishes. If Harry doesn't want to play the princess you have to respect his wishes. And in turn Harry you need to be polite when you speak to others. I will not be pleased if I hear any of these mean words coming from either of you. You both need to learn how to speak to each other in a nice, or polite, way."

"If you feel yourself getting angry take a breath and count to ten, or walk away, if you're that upset. Also, you can always come to me or your papa when you feel yourself losing control. Is that understood, brats?" Harry stuck his head in the crook of Severus neck and mumbled his agreement while Draco nodded emphatically.

With a smile he placed Harry back down; "Alright, so how about we go for a walk outside; I think you both need some fresh air." Two little blurs, one blonde and one black, raced by to put their boots on so they could go explore outside with Severus. There were many waterways around where they lived and many interesting animals, both magical and muggle, to see.

Severus slipped out of his house shoes and slipped on boots, thinking about Draco's first true burst of accidental magic. Both boys had moved things subtly via accidental magic before but never had either of them shown a magical outburst like Draco did today.

It appeared the little blonde's magic was maturing quickly and Harry was sure to be right behind him with the showing of more powerful accidental magic. Great! Severus would never survive until these two brats went to Hogwarts! Wait; he'd be going to Hogwarts with them so in essence there would be no escape for him. Damn! With a chuckle he followed his boys outside and pointed out interesting plants, or animals, they saw.

Going for walks outside was a great way of getting the boys tired out and the exertion made them sleep soundly which led to more time for Lucius and Severus to indulge in more adult matters.

Later that night Severus collapsed into bed exhausted. Lucius flopped gracelessly next to him. The onyx eyed man thanked the Gods that their boys had fallen asleep without a fuss tonight. Sometimes the raven haired man wondered how he found the energy to keep up with the two little demons. And he also pondered where they hell the little brats got all that energy came from? Maybe he should cut down on the sugar?

A strong arm circling his waist made him turn his head and lock eyes with his blonde lover. He adored looking into those smiling silver eyes. Not many people had ever seen, or would see, Lord Lucius Malfoy this exposed and vulnerable. Merlin, the man was absolutely gorgeous; even more so now than when they went to Hogwarts.

Age suited the blonde; his hair was now shoulder length and shined in the lamplight while his body had filled out from the slightly awkward state it hovered in during school. Severus on the other hand was still too thin. He really did eat all he could but it never stuck; something Lucius had finally realized after a few years of stuffing the raven haired man full of food at every turn.

Severus' face had thinned out and he had finally grown into his nose. True, it was still large but no longer was it considered massive. His dark haired had grown to about waist level and he loved the way it felt when it was clean; which it generally was as he hadn't hovered over a cauldron in nearly three years. It was hard to find the time to brew when you had two heathens tearing through your house, sowing devastation in their wake when left unsupervised.

But the Potions Master looked forward to January; the boys would go to nursery school in the town near their home. That would free up a few hours for Severus to begin brewing again, nothing complicated but he would enjoy the process regardless of what he was brewing at the time. He adored potions, always had and always would. But with the kids it wasn't feasible to try and make even the simplest of tonics.

Soon though he would have hours of silence to read, brew, hell even nap if he wanted to. Lucius was looking forward to it too. Probably not as much as Severus since the blonde left during the day to work so he got to escape the circus that was the Snape-Malfoy home for a little while.

Again the strong arm tugged on his slim waist; the slender man blinked and refocused his dark eyes on Lucius' amused face; "Severus, where were you just then?" The onyx eyed man chuckled; "I was fantasizing about brewing potions when the little brats go to school in January. I'm happy we finally got them into a school we both agreed on."

Here Lucius sniffed haughtily like the aristocratic snob he was; "Well, I refuse to compromise on my sons' education. I will not tolerate substandard teaching. Harry and Draco have big shoes to fill and they will not be unprepared, or considered stupid, when they make their appearance in the magical world."

"I am pleased, however, that they scored so high on their tests. I have you to thank for it, Severus. I'm sure you've drummed their numbers and letters into their little skulls." Severus snorted; "Indeed, someone has to teach them. I won't have dunderheads in this house. Besides, they're both incredibly intelligent and like to learn new things; the issue is getting them to stay still."

Lucius laughed lightly; "Yes, I know they're quite smart for their age but what did I expect? Look who they've been raised with." Severus just rolled his dark eyes and placed a kiss to Lucius' soft lips. His blonde lover responded quickly and ardently, slipping his tongue into the thinner man's mouth where he met no resistance.

Severus was content to let his lover do as he wanted at the moment. He was ready to let his mind go, and just feel after the busy energy draining day he'd had. Lucius, ever the opportunist, took full advantage of his lover's acquiescence and rolled them until Severus was on his back with Lucius hovering above him; their groins rubbing against each other's blissfully.

Both males groaned loudly and Severus thanked one-way Silencing Charms in his head; having two young boys being woken up by their father's sexual noises and coming to investigate was not how Severus wanted to spend the evening. A sharp nip to his collarbone broke him out of his private reverie. Lucius' handsome face hovered over his; "You are very distracted tonight, thinking too much, hm."

The raven haired man nodded; "I am and I think you should make me forget everything." Lucius smirked lewdly and began to unbutton Severus nightshirt, licking and sucking the sensitive skin he revealed. The thinner male moaned happily, he loved it when his lover worshipped his body like this; it always felt so good to him.

When his nightshirt, it was not a nightgown no matter how much Lucius teased him about it, was undone the blonde man spread it open, exposing Severus' naked front to the cool air of their bedroom. Goosebumps erupted on the raven haired man's body, making him shiver. The blonde finished his perusal of the man below him and promptly sucked Severus' hard cock into his talented mouth.

The dark man's moans were louder now, accompanied by murmurs of praise and love for the man in between his thighs. Lucius continued to suck him, bobbing his head faster and faster. Severus felt like he was going to explode! The smaller man grasped the sheets in his hands and began to pump his hips shallowly, encouraging Lucius to take more of his erection into his mouth.

The sexy blonde complied and deep throated his lover, swallowing around the sensitive head, pulling a whimper from Severus' lips. The raven's orgasm was mounting, swirling in a ball of fire in lower belly. Salazar, he was about to explode! Lucius pulled him over the edge of oblivion when he deep throated his length again and hummed, sending delightful waves of pleasure throughout Severus' swollen cock.

The raven's eyelids fluttered while his back arched and he came hard; the ball of heat exploding in his belly and rocketing through his whole body. It felt like his nerves were scorched as he succumbed to his release; his thin body shaking in ecstasy as Lucius continued to suckle him of everything he had to give.

Severus continued to shiver as he rode out his mind-numbing orgasm. When he came down from his high he opened dark eyes and watched Lucius nuzzle his softened cock. The smaller man unclenched his hands from the bed sheets and brought both hands down to card them through thick, blonde, strands. "That was bloody amazing, Luc."

The grey eyed man chuckled; "Well then I think it's time you returned the favor and showed me just how appreciative you are of my efforts." Severus smiled coyly before flipping his lover onto his back and slinking down that toned gorgeous body.

Indeed, Silencing Charms and four year olds who slept through the night were wondrous things...oh and of course the sound of Lucius chanting Severus' name while he teased and sucked the blonde's thick cock.

_**Alrighty, so I'm pleased with this chapter but not in love with it. It may be a bit slow right now but we are plot building my lovely readers. All of this is important so enjoy the slash and hang on for a long ride.**_

_**Also, there will be no bottom or top in my Severus/Lucius pairing; in my fic they are both strong-minded, willful, dominant men so they will switch off depending on my mood and the scene we find ourselves in during the fic. I think I may have mentioned this...anywho if not now you know!**_

_**I seriously must be insane to write another long fic but I can't seem to stop myself! I hope you've enjoyed our journey so far...**_

_**All Mistakes Are My Own!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_Author: HatefulRodeo_

_Story: Of Unexpected Deliveries and Doorsteps_

_Notes: Hello Lovelies! Here's Chapter Four; as I mentioned before this chapter has a time-skip! Anywho, THANKS TO ALL THAT REVIEWED, FAV'D, AND FOLLOWED!_

_Parseltongue looks like "This"!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I will make no money from the posting of this story._

_Previously:_

_Severus continued to shiver as he rode out his mind-numbing orgasm. When he came down from his high he opened dark eyes and watched Lucius nuzzle his softened cock. The smaller man unclenched his hands from the bed sheets and brought both hands down to card them through thick, blonde, strands. "That was bloody amazing, Luc."_

_The grey eyed man chuckled; "Well then I think it's time you returned the favor and showed me just how appreciative you are of my efforts." Severus smiled coyly before flipping his lover onto his back and slinking down that toned gorgeous body._

_Indeed, Silencing Charms and four year olds who slept through the night were wondrous things...oh and of course the sound of Lucius chanting Severus' name while he teased and sucked the blonde's thick cock._

**_~*~*~*Chapter 4*~*~*~_**

~*~*~*Five Years Later~*~*~*

Harry bid his classmates goodbye for the summer and began to walk home with Draco and Severus; the other muggle kids believed they would see him next year but they wouldn't. His dad, and papa Luc, would be home-schooling his brother, and him, in magic.

The raven fiddled with his necklace as he walked and thought; his dad made the pendant for him so no one would be able to find him. Draco and Severus wore one too; even though his fathers never said it both he and Draco knew they worried about other magical people would track them down.

The three of them would wear their necklaces until they went back to England, and that wouldn't happen until he and Draco received their Hogwarts letter. Until then no one could know where they were. It wasn't safe for Harry, not with Dumbledore lurking about.

Until then they kept a low profile, as Severus called it. Harry sometimes felt like they were in a detective story; where they were running from the bad guys. It was kind of cool but a little scary. However, he would be getting his practice wand soon so he could begin to learn magic before he went to wizarding school.

Kids weren't allowed to get proper wands until they received their Hogwarts' letter. Until then magical children used practice wands; they looked like normal wands but they were spelled to be unable to channel the castor's full power into the spell.

Using the practice wand would help them learn the wand movements for simple spells and helped to regulate their power levels; if he, or Draco, used too much power on a spell the wand would glow red.

Severus explained that just because you had the power didn't mean you needed to use it needlessly. Why use an excess of power to levitate a small rock? All you'd be doing was exerting more magical energy, and draining your magical core faster. Which put you at a disadvantage in a duel; precise spell work, and management of a wizard's power, was very important and Harry was committed to doing well in his studies.

He was very serious about learning but he was still super excited to begin using a wand to cast magic! He'd be just like his dad, and papa Luc, soon. Maybe he could convince his fathers to teach them how to change someone's hair pink? That would be fun to do! Harry doubted Severus, or Lucius, would tell him.

However, that didn't mean he couldn't investigate how by looking through his fathers' books; if he could sneak into the library...maybe Draco could assist him in distracting their fathers? He would, of course, share his knowledge with Draco; they were a team and what one knew so did the other.

The emerald eyed nine year old still called Severus and Lucius his fathers and they were. The two men raised him since he was a fifteen month old baby. Severus took him in, and adopted him, after the bad man, You-Know-Who, came to kill his birth parents, James and Lily. His dad explained why they were attacked; apparently, some prophecy, which the Dark Lord only knew half of, was made stating that Harry would be the Dark Lord's downfall.

Upon hearing that the bad man acted and found his parents where they were hiding; how the bad man found Lily and James his fathers could only guess on. But they believed it wasn't Harry's reckless godfather, Sirius Black, who betrayed his birth mom and dad.

His fathers' thought it may have one of of James' other school friends, or Marauders as Severus called them. They suspected it may have been Peter Pettigrew since Sirius went looking for Peter after the attack on Harry and his birth parents, according to Severus it was to exact revenge for the betrayal of his friends. But Lucius and his dad couldn't be one hundred percent sure who the secret keeper was; it may have well been Sirius Black.

But Harry doubted it. His fathers were rarely wrong and he had a feeling that it wasn't Black who betrayed his birth parents. From what he'd heard about Sirius he was incredibly loyal, if incredibly reckless, and even shunned his family to be friends with Harry's biological father, James, and to join Dumbledore's Light side during the war. That didn't sound like a man who would turn against his best friend and betray Harry's family, at least in Harry's opinion.

So if it wasn't Black then that left Pettigrew or Lupin. His dads believed it was Pettigrew but they couldn't be sure about it. And if it wasn't Peter than it had to be Lupin; his birth parents wouldn't trust anyone other than Black, Pettigrew, or Lupin as their secret keeper for Fidelius Charm. Severus highly doubted Lupin would betray his friends and Harry's birth family. Lupin was a werewolf and adored his friends and saw them as his pack. A werewolf would rather skin themself than turn on their pack but it could happen; no matter how small the possibility of it occurring was.

All this was very confusing to Harry! All he knew was that his dads believed Sirius hadn't betrayed his parents but he did murder a man; the man his godfather killed was Pettigrew and even if Peter was the traitor you couldn't just go around murdering people! So Sirius deserved to be in Azkaban, right? Harry believed so. And Remus Lupin was a werewolf and Severus doubted he was the traitor who sold his family out. Sometimes Harry wished Severus and Lucius wouldn't be so honest with him.

As soon as that thought entered his mind he pushed it away. Harry wanted the truth and he wanted to know what happened and why it happened. He liked that even if he was confused by certain things he at least knew them and wasn't left to bumble around alone in the dark while he searched for answers. His dad never held back what he believed Harry needed to know and understand.

His dad really hadn't held back on anything involving his parents. He'd told Harry everything he knew about them; how his birth father, James, was cruel to him in school. Harry thought James was a bully and he was very prejudiced. What was so bad about Slytherins? His fathers were former Slytherins and they were good people.

Lily, his birth mother, used to be best friends with his dad until they had a fight when Severus called her a bad name; a mudblood. Harry, and Draco, was forbidden to speak that word as it was incredibly rude and hurtful. The raven haired child understood about hurtful words; a kid in his class called his and Draco's dads faggots.

At the time Harry hadn't known what that word meant but when he asked papa Luc he became very angry and walked them to school the next day to have a word with their teacher, Mrs. Delacroix. That afternoon papa Luc explained that faggot was a cruel word for men who liked other men; it was a word that was equal to mudblood in its offensiveness.

Harry, and Draco, both agreed to never use either word. The two of them didn't believe in judging someone for something they couldn't control; you didn't choose to be muggleborn and you loved who you loved. Both boys understood that and they would never hurt someone so harshly by speaking out of turn like that.

However, the emerald eyed teen believed in the ability to accept someone's apology if they were sincere enough. Harry accepted Severus', and Lucius', apology when they asked for it. Both men explained that they used to be loyal to the Dark Lord before he went mad. But once they understood that their Lord was not in his right mind they had second thoughts.

But Lucius was too afraid to act against You-Know-Who because he didn't want Draco to be hurt. Severus, on the other hand, had been the one to deliver half the contents of the prophecy to the Dark Lord. When his dad found out that it meant the Potters were in danger he'd left the Dark and spied for the Light. It was because of Severus that his parents went into hiding and if his parents hadn't chosen the wrong person to trust they may have been alive.

Harry accepted their apologies because he knew Severus, and Lucius, were sincere. They loved him; he had no doubt of that. They didn't have to take him in. They could have ditched him somewhere just like Dumbledore and his aunt had. The two men hadn't. Instead Severus adopted him, gave him his last name, and by doing that gave him a family. He would lose all of that if he didn't accept their apology and give them his forgiveness. So that was what he did; he forgave them.

Forgiveness; that was something his mother never learned. How could Lily just toss Severus' friendship away like that? Yes, he was wrong to call Lily the M-word but Severus knew it and tried to make it right by apologizing. His birth mother wouldn't ever accept it and she wouldn't speak to his dad again.

Harry thought she was being stupid but held his tongue since Severus wouldn't appreciate the sentiment. Besides, they were dead and gone; there was no reason to dwell on their mistakes as they couldn't be changed. All Harry knew was he adored his fathers and his brother, Draco.

True, none of them were blood but they were family. At first Draco didn't know how to take the news of Harry's adoption but after a while realized that nothing had changed between them and got over it. Now, the two of them were thick as thieves; they made friends at the muggle school but nothing serious. They had each other and they also knew that once they joined the magical world it would be hard to continue to associate with muggles.

Draco was also privy to all the information about the attack by You-Know-Who, the half known prophecy, Harry's abandonment at Number Four Privet Drive by Dumbledore, and how Petunia left Harry on Severus' doorstep all those years ago because she didn't want to raise a magical child.

The emerald eyed child never wanted to meet his muggle relatives; he didn't understand how they could throw away a member of their family just because they were different? It made no sense! Harry would never in a million years leave his family! He'd die before anyone took them away from him.

But it wasn't only Harry who got a family in all this; Draco did too. While Severus was named the blonde's godfather when he was born Draco now looked at the older raven haired man as his dad. Especially after Lucius divorced his wife, who was Draco's mother, when the two boys were seven.

Harry and his blonde brother didn't know why Lucius and Narcissa divorced; his father's said they were too young to know why. But his dads did say that his papa Luc and Narcissa weren't happy together and they were married due to a contract put together by Lucius' father, Abraxas Malfoy, and Narcissa's family.

Harry knew his papa Luc adored his dad so the little raven was happy that his fathers could now be together and get married if they wanted to. Maybe one day they'd have another baby! Then Harry could be a big brother like Draco and they could both take care of their little sibling.

That would be awesome! But when Harry asked Severus for another sibling when he was eight Severus choked on his tea and Lucius had to slap him on the back to make sure his didn't choke to death. Once his dad stopped coughing he'd told Harry that it wasn't the right time for another baby.

After that incident Harry just shut up about another sibling but he knew his father's knew Harry wanted one so it would happen if it happened. Draco wanted another little brother, or sister, too but he kept quiet about it. Neither wanted to make their dad choke to death.

It wasn't too hard for Draco when his mother and father split; the blonde boy never saw his mother from what Harry remembered so it probably wasn't a loss for him. It confused Harry; why didn't Narcissa seem to care for Draco? He was her son; wasn't she supposed to care for him? When Harry asked his dad, and papa, they'd attempted to explain but failed, hugely.

All the emerald eyed teen got from the stunted conversation was that Narcissa was a cold, mean, woman who had no honor. The younger raven just nodded and excused himself from the room, putting the conversation out of his mind. If Narcissa didn't want to see Draco it was her loss.

His older brother was the best and she was stupid not to see that; good riddance to bad rubbish as his muggle teacher used to say when she threw something in the garbage. Draco didn't need Narcissa. He had Harry, papa Luc, and dad to care for him.

When they walked into the house Severus turned and smiled; "I think you both have something waiting for you on the coffee table in the living room." Harry slipped off his boots and walked quickly; only heathens ran in the house, to the living room and beamed when he saw two long rectangular boxes on the table.

Draco was right next to him with a large smile on his face too. Papa Luc, who looked quite amused, was seated on the couch watching their reactions. Severus seated himself next to the older blonde and waved his hand for them to open the packages. The boys didn't need to be told twice and ripped into the green wrapping paper with gusto.

Before long green paper was on the floor along with the wand boxes and the two boys were holding two practice wands proudly in their hands. Lucius, and Severus, chuckled; "Well, it seems you both are ready to begin your education in all things magical." Draco smirked at his blonde father; "Of course, Harry and I are going to be top in our year when we go to Hogwarts. Aren't we, Harry?"

The raven smiled; "Yup, we're going to show them just how smart we are." Severus and Lucius chuckled; "Alright, well today you can enjoy yourselves but tomorrow Lucius and I will begin instructing you in magic. Until then your papa, and I, will be holding onto your wands." The two boys groaned in disappointment but didn't argue; no one won against Severus in an argument, even papa Luc failed there and he was really smart!

Once their wands were taken the two boys scurried into Harry's room and began to read the beginner's books on magic; papa Luc bought these for them a week ago when he bought their practice wands. But unlike the wands they were allowed to read the books as soon as Lucius brought them home. They sat down on the fluffy rug near the window and began to read all about magic.

His parents spoke to them about magic sometimes; mostly how to control their emotions so their accidental magic wouldn't flare up, or lash out. However, his father's always told them that magic was magic; neither good nor evil. It was the caster's intent, and motives, that were either good or bad. Magic was a tool; a useful tool that they should be grateful for, but a tool nonetheless.

Should the Minister, who was a bloody idiot according to his dad, outlaw knives because you could stab someone with it? No, they shouldn't. This Minister of Magic in Britain sounded useless. Papa Luc said the Minister, Fudge Harry thought his name was, was a moron of the highest caliber.

This information made Harry uneasy; how did such a moron get into power in the first place? Were the people of magical Britain stupid? How else would an incompetent get elected to power? Good thing the idiot Fudge had his papa to help him run things. Papa Luc was a smart and cunning man; very Slytherin was what his dad called it.

Harry couldn't wait to go to school so he could learn everything he could about magic and the wizarding world. Then when he graduated, and got his Mastery, he could do good things and make things better than they were; like papa Luc did. He really couldn't wait to go to Hogwarts; even if the old coot Dumbledore, as his papa and dad called him, was there.

Harry didn't like the Headmaster much. The man left him on a doorstep in the middle of the night during winter with only a note. Harry may be nine, almost ten, years old but even he knew that was a stupid thing to do! And his dad and papa didn't like the man and that set the emerald eyed child on edge. His parents didn't like people for a reason so he would be cautious around the old man.

With a great huff he refocused on the book in his hands, feeling very happy that he didn't have to wear glasses to see the words. They'd figured out his eyesight was bad when he began to go to school and had to squint to make out the words on the chalkboard, or put a book very close to his face to see the smaller print.

When he began to get bad headaches almost every day his dad magically scanned his eyes and discovered he was nearsighted and had a stigmatism; at least that was what his dad called it.

Thank Salazar Severus was an accomplished Potions Master and was able to brew the emulsion that would restore his eyesight. Now, he saw things with perfect clarity. He'd never noticed how blurry everything was until his eyes were fixed but he was grateful for his improved vision.

Settling into a more comfortable position on the rug Harry began to read his beginner's book on potions; he hoped he would do well in the subject at Hogwarts. Severus would be so proud if Harry and Draco were top in their year in that class! And Harry loved to make his dad and papa Luc proud of him. They were, after all, the most important people in his life other than Draco.

After a little while Draco began top fidget, breaking Harry' focus on his book. The raven looked over at his bonde brother and cocked an eyebrow, like his papa and dad did; "What's wrong, Draco?" The blonde huffed; "I'm bored! Let's go for a fly so I can beat you in a Seeker's game." Harry smirked; "Like you ever could! Come on then. I'll enjoy beating your narrow behind up and down the property."

Draco sneered; "Bring it on, princess!" Harry scowled and with a growl stood up and stomped out of the room; Draco snickering loudly behind him. That little berk knew how much Harry hated to be called princess! He was still sore about being stuck to the top of that castle in a pink dress when they were four.

The two boys grabbed their brooms, and a practice Snitch, from the cabinet in the living room and made their way into the large back tard; their dad shouted for them to stay within the wards so no one saw them flying on their brooms. Draco, and Harry, called back their agreement and mounted their brooms before they released the Snitch.

Once the little ball of gold disappeared the two boys shot of like rockets into the sky. Neither wanted to lose to the other; they were both good Seekers and practicing together only made them better. Whatever House they ended up at in Hogwarts would get a very good chaser and if they ended up in the same House they would figure out who would play Seeker and who would play Chaser.

Harry would be alright as long as he got to play Quidditch; it helped relax him when he was stressed and helped him think when his mind became to cluttered with stuff. A flicker of gold caught his eye and he was off like a shot after the Snitch, Draco following close behind him. But in the end the Potter-Snape snatched the ball of gold out of the air, triumphantly holding it over his head and whooping out his victory.

Draco, ever the gentleman, clapped, grudgingly. With a smile Harry switched off the Snitch, slipped it into his trouser pocket, and landed on the ground. His blonde brother landing next to him. Both boys laid down and began to chat about their practice wands all the cool stuff they were going to do.

Harry really did love magic and to think he could have lost all this if his muggle aunt decided to keep him! The young Potter-Snape was, privately, very grateful his aunt was a close-minded bint, his dad's words not his. If she wasn't then he wouldn't have met Lucius, Draco, or Severus; he couldn't imagine his life without them in it! It wouldn't be right! It would be like cake without frosting and that was simply unacceptable to the young raven.

Draco's shout brought him out of his thoughts and he gasped when he saw a large snake slithering toward them; it was black but shown an iridescent green in the light and had glowing black eyes. His brother moved to scurry away but the snake reared up and made to bit his brother; the raven freaked and began screaming at the snake not to hurt his brother!

Draco froze, as did the snake, in shock. Both turned to look at a wide-eyed Harry; who stood their, frowning in confusion. Had the snake listened to him? How? He took a deep breath and looked at the large black snake and began to talk, or hiss would be more appropriate. His brother gasped again and called for his fathers to come outside.

Within a minute both older men were outside, looking pale and shaky. Severus stepped forward and placed a hand on his son's shoulder; "Harry, I want you to send that snake away. Can you do that for me, brat?" The little raven nodded and turned to his snaky friend; _"You have to leave now. My family is scared."_ The large snake seemed to nod regally; _"Of course, I apologize for scaring your family little speaker." _

"May I come back to speak to you?It is an honor for a snake to converse with a speaker."

Harry thought about it and decided it couldn't hurt anything if the snake stayed; _"Alright, but you have to promise not to hurt anyone. May I ask why you came into our yard?" _The snake looked thoughtful, if that was possible; _"I will not hurt your nest mates. I came because I was looking for my master. Your house felt like his did; it felt like magic."_

"They left me in the forest and I don't know why."

Harry nodded, sadly, but was excited too. Was this snake a magical snake? It had to be if it could sense magic, right? Maybe they could become his Familiar. That would be awesome!

He mentally shook himself; now was not the time for wandering thoughts, he had a snake to deal with; _"Well you can come and talk to me during the day if I'm outside if not you may stay in the yard but you can't hurt anyone."_

"By the way what's your name?"

The large serpent slithered closer to Harry and lifted her, at least Harry thought it was a her, head off the ground to look into his emerald green eyes; _"My name is Ebony. And I have already told you I will not hurt your nest mates." _The raven haired child nodded; _"Alright, Ebony, I'm going to go inside but feel free to stay in the yard." _The serpent nodded and made her way to a nice sunny spot to relax.

When Harry turned to look at his fathers he became nervous; why were they looking at him like he had two heads? Was talking to snakes that weird? Immediately he became self-conscious; would his family hate him now? Would they get rid of him because he was different?

Severus just rolled his eyes while a small smile crept onto his face; "Only you brat, only you. Harry, calm down. We aren't mad about this. You're papa, Draco, and I are just very surprised. Parseltongue is not a common gift, brat. But as I said it is a gift and something that should be treasured not feared. However, a lot of wizards will fear you for your ability to talk to snakes."

"These people are idiots and never listen to them. You are not a Dark wizard just because you can speak to snakes. But I think we should all move inside to speak about this. Will the snake be alright outside?" Harry smiled at his dad, feeling stupid; of course his family would still love him even if he could talk to snakes.

And he wouldn't let anyone tell him his ability to speak Parseltongue was evil; it was a gift like his dad said. If he hadn't been able to speak to Ebony he and Draco may have been hurt so how was his gift a bad thing? With a laugh at his own idiocy he answered his dad; "Ebony will be fine in the yard. She promised not to hurt any of my nest mates. What's a nest mate?"

Severus just shook his head in fond exasperation and mumbled; "Only I would adopt the brat who could talk to snakes." Before he looked into Harry's emerald eyes; "I'll explain all that when we go inside, okay? Now shall we?" The little raven nodded and moved to go inside with the rest of his family so he could get his answers. One thing was for sure their lives were never dull or boring!

**_TaaaDao! Well we heard from Harry; forgive the simple writing style. I'm emulating a nine year old here. Also, Harry will be more mature than most children his age; he lived with Lucius and Severus for practically his whole life! What does anyone expect? However, he won't be some super mature genius; I want this to be f'ing believable after all!_**

**_Next chapter will be the last one before the little family goes to Hogwarts._**

**_So I introduced Harry's Parseltongue ability early and Harry will not hide it. My Harry will be a strong Grey wizard who thinks for himself. No one will make him feel guilty for his abilities; though some will try, of course. I believe Harry would have been much more confident if he was raised in a loving, accepting, home._**

**_Ebony is a Titanoboa; which is an extinct species of python. However, I am reviving them in the magical world for the purposes of this story. They are massive snakes that rivalled Reticulated Python is size. But Ebony is only eight feet long at this point and she is not as sensitive to cold as normal snakes would be as she is magical. Ebony won't be some super magical snake either; she'll be like most other snakes with a few abilities thrown in, like magical sensitivity and few other fun abilities. Okay I'm going to stop rambling! : )_**

**_Honestly, there are so many ways I could go with this story and only time will tell where exactly that is. Just have to wait and see! : )_**

**_All Mistakes Are My Own!_**


	5. Chapter 5

_Author: HatefulRodeo_

_Story: Of Unexpected Deliveries and Doorsteps_

_Notes: Hello Lovelies! __I read that Lucius' wand was presumably Elm with Dragon Heartstring; well I'm changing that a bit. You'll just have to read to find out what his wand is now. Severus' wand will also change; I find the change fits him well and it will coincide with an aspect__ of Harry's wand. PLEASE REMEMBER THIS IS A/U; meaning I can change or do whatever the hell I want. So, if you have any issue with that FUCK OFF and go elsewhere! _

_Do not review and ask me why Severus' wand isn't the same as it was in Canon; his wand may have been noted in Canon but as I stated at the beginning of this story I'm throwing Canon out the damn window! If I went by Canon you would be reading this fucking story now would you?! Anywho, THANKS TO ALL THAT REVIEWED, FAV'D, AND FOLLOWED! _

_**Parseltongue looks like **__"This"!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I will make no money from the posting of this story._

_Previously:_

_"These people are idiots and never listen to them. You are not a Dark wizard just because you can speak to snakes. But I think we should all move inside to speak about this. Will the snake be alright outside?" Harry smiled at his dad, feeling stupid; of course his family would still love him even if he could talk to snakes._

_And he wouldn't let anyone tell him his ability to speak Parseltongue was evil; it was a gift like his dad said. If he hadn't been able to speak to Ebony he and Draco may have been hurt so how was his gift a bad thing? With a laugh at his own idiocy he answered his dad; "Ebony will be fine in the yard. She promised not to hurt any of my nest mates. What's a nest mate?"_

_Severus just shook his head in fond exasperation and mumbled; "Only I would adopt the brat who could talk to snakes." Before he looked into Harry's emerald eyes; "I'll explain all that when we go inside, okay? Now shall we?" The little raven nodded and moved to go inside with the rest of his family so he could get his answers. One thing was for sure their lives were never dull or boring!_

_**~*~*~*Chapter 5*~*~*~**_

~*~*~*August 1, 1991~*~*~*

"Harry James Potter-Snape! Draco Lucius Malfoy! Get your behinds down here for breakfast or so help me Merlin we won't be going to Diagon Alley for your school supplies today!"

Lucius snickered behind his tea cup but promptly shut up when Severus glared at him. With a smug smirk on his face the onyx eyed man placed the breakfast dishes loaded with food on the table.

Soon after the last dish hit the table he was assaulted by the sound of rushing footsteps as they clomped down the stairs like a herd of Hippogriffs; he didn't scold the boys for running in the house though. He knew how excited they were to be going to Diagon Alley today so they would have everything they would need to attend Hogwarts.

Both their school letters arrived yesterday morning; Severus didn't know how to feel about them going to Hogwarts. He was excited, and very proud, for his sons but nervous for them to. How would the world react to Harry and Draco's friendship? A Potter, even if this Potter was raised by a Snape, and a Malfoy should not be friends.

No, Potters and Malfoys were enemies, never more than that. It just went to show you what happens when a child is raised with a lack of preconceived notions, and a lack of prejudice. Severus prided himself on the fact that he, and Lucius, had raised two boys who weren't judgmental, cruel, or mini-bigots. Harry, and Draco, made friends with everyone in their muggle school; it didn't matter if the muggle was fat, skinny, tall, short, white, black, etc.

What mattered to his boys was personality; if you had a shite personality they wanted nothing to do with you. Severus felt the same way, of course. Lucius took a bit longer to get with the idea of no prejudices. Where he no longer harped on blood purity he was still a Malfoy snob, meaning money, and social standing, was of great importance to the man.

Again, Severus had to point out, just like he had about the blood purity idiocy, that Lucius loved him and he was dead poor when they'd met at Hogwarts; that shut the Malfoy Lord up quickly. The elder blonde was truly turning into a better man now that he had to raise a child in this new, ever changing, world. However, Lucius would always be Lucius, just as Severus would always be himself; both of them were cunning, ambitious, and loyal to their family above all others.

However, while Lucius enjoyed money, and spreading the wealth around, their boys weren't spoiled, not at all. Severus nipped Lucius tendency to overindulge the kids in the arse from the start. Harry, and Draco, had nice things but they weren't showered in pointless gifts for any little thing.

For Salazar's sake the first time their sons brought home a graded test, both of them scoring perfectly on the exam, Lucius wanted to go shopping to buy the boys a gift; a very expensive gift. Not to mention the elder blonde's gift mania when the boys began learning, and started to master, magic; Merlin and Mercy the blonde Lord wanted to sprint to Diagon and buy the boys a damn magical library.

Severus was not having it! The boys were rewarded with a simple gift at the end of the muggle school term when their final grades came in; no gift would be given if their grades were not up to par. They always were though so the children always got rewarded; mostly with books or if there was something that caught their eye in those Quidditch magazines they subscribed to, another gift from Lucius.

And now they would be going to Hogwarts. The onyx eyed man was confident his sons would do well there; he'd make sure of it himself since he agreed to come back to Hogwarts to teach Potions. He wasn't worried about their school work either. His little men had their study ethic ironed into their head by Severus and that ethic would serve them well through the years.

The boys didn't know that Severus was joining them at Hogwarts yet. The returning professor wanted to get the craziness of school shopping out of the way and then he would tell his sons about his new position. He hadn't been surprised when Albus contacted him earlier in the summer to request that he come back to mentor, and protect, Harry Potter by taking back up the mantle of Potions Professor and Slytherin Head of House.

Mentoring, and protecting, Harry Potter, hmm? Wasn't that what he was doing for over ten years? But Dumbledore didn't know that, did he? Nope, the old coot didn't have a bloody clue about Severus having Guardianship over Harry and he intended to keep it that way for as long as possible, preferably up until Harry was sorted.

Besides, it wasn't like Dumbledore checked the acceptance envelopes when they were sent out via owl. So the old meddler had no idea that Harry Potter was now Harry Potter-Snape. The look on the Headmaster's wrinkled face would be priceless when his son's name was called to be sorted.

Then the whole school would know that Harry was not only a Potter but also a Snape; not to mention best friends with the Malfoy heir. Dumbledore would be mightily pissed about that too but the onyx eyed man didn't give a flying fig about what the Headmaster thought or wanted.

And if the old codger tried to manipulate his sons he would pull them out of Hogwarts before you could say Wolfsbane. Lucius, and he, were in agreement about that. The second foul play was detected on the Headmaster's part the boys would be gone and enrolled at Durmstrang within the day. Durmstrang was a school Severus preferred to Hogwarts for its fair, and balanced, curriculum.

However, Durmstrang wasn't a possibility yet; if Harry didn't show up at Hogwarts the British wizarding world would be in an uproar, searching for him, and their family would not have a moment's peace. The searchers would quickly figure out who Harry was with when they found the Guardianship papers on file with the Ministry.

It was better all-around if the young Potter-Snape showed up at Hogwarts for his first year and take it from there. It made the older raven haired man feel good that he would be there to make sure his kids were safe. Lucius was also on the Board of Governors at Hogwarts, which gave the elder blonde a lot of sway over the school.

Between Lucius, and Severus, they could keep their boys safe and sound, hopefully. But soon they would have to sit the boys down and tell them about other wizarding families; nothing cruel, or biased, but the truth. The boys needed to know who was allied with whom; the Weasely family, for example, was very pro-Dumbledore and Harry needed to know that.

He would never discourage his son from being social with the Weaselys he just didn't want Harry to get too close to them. They would sell his child out in an instant for Dumbledore. Severus just wanted Harry, and Draco, to know the score before they set foot onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters. The train ride to Hogwarts would be the first time their boys would interact with magical children. But he was confident they would make good friends, and allies, while at school.

The sound of two very hungry boys sitting down at the table let Severus know it was time to eat. With all four of them seated they began to pass around the platters of eggs, potatoes, bacon, and tomato until everyone had what they wanted. Satisfied with his breakfast Severus began to eat but only after he added a liberal dash of salt and pepper to his eggs and potatoes.

For a little while it was quiet and the two elder males enjoyed the time they were spending with their growing boys. It would be hard not to have this time when the boys went to school but maybe on the weekends Harry, and Draco, could come to his quarters for breakfast.

Lucius would, no doubt, be there. It would allow the family to be together like usual and they would also be able to discuss what was going on with their boys without the fear of being overheard. Severus wouldn't put it past Dumbledore to try and spy on him in his rooms; even without the fact of him being Harry's parent known. The old bumblebee was too damn nosy for his own good.

But he could ward his room against eavesdropping, and banish the portraits out of his rooms. Not many knew but every portrait in Hogwarts had the ability to report back to Dumbledore; he was the Headmaster and as such was the master of the portraits and the school.

However, even less known was that the castle itself was somewhat sentient and on rare occasions acted on its own. A few times the castle assisted Severus in getting away from the Marauders; at least that was what he believed for there was no other explanation. Hogwarts was Severus' first true home and he adored the school; just like Draco, and Harry, would.

Once breakfast was devoured the two boys went to clean themselves up while the adults cleaned the kitchen and prepared to floo to The Leakey Cauldron. They would apply a Glamour to Harry's scar before they left; unwanted attention, and swarming morons, was the last thing they needed today.

Soon enough the four of them were ready to go; Harry, of course, had a shrunken Ebony around his neck. Luckily she situated herself inside Harry's shirt, drapes regally around her master's shoulders. The onyx eyed man was allowing the snake to come with them to Diagon, and with Harry to Hogwarts, because she would protect Harry if anyone tried to harm him. Who wanted to mess with a massive snake who could snap them in half?

Before they left for Hogwarts Harry would properly bond with Ebony; something he was assured both serpent and boy wanted. Right now they had a loose bond, created by their care for each other and the forged over more than a year of companionship.

Severus couldn't find fault in it; the two seemed very close and the snake even liked Draco, sometimes slithering onto the younger blonde's shoulders so she could get stroked and cooed over. However, she would have to remain shrunk while they were out in public or while Harry was at school. Ebony being magical could manipulate her size if she choose to.

Ebony was now ten feet long and growing quickly; it wasn't practical to have a snake that big in the way and it would scare most people to see a massive black snake making its way around the Alley, or the school.

Severus was still trying to figure out how his son could talk to snakes. Maybe it had to do with Harry's scar? When Harry first came to him he had run a few tests to make sure the scar wasn't anything more than that. While there was residual dark magic around it it wasn't anything to be alarmed by.

The cicatrix was the result of dark magic so it made sense that some would remain. But then this Parseltongue ability popped up and it made the older raven wonder...

Could the Dark Lord have linked himself to Harry in some way through that scar? It wasn't like there was another case like Harry's to reference so it was uncharted territory medically, and magically. He would just have to watch his child and make sure nothing horrible came of it.

The Potions Master would have to speak to Harry before he went to Hogwarts about it; if anything occurred with his scar Severus wanted to know about it. The Potions Master had a feeling tough times were approaching them. But he was thankful they'd had almost ten years of peace together. In those ten years his boys had blossomed into resilient, intelligent, and most importantly confident children.

All Severus could do was have faith in his boys. He had to believe they could meet the challenges they'd face at Hogwarts. Just in case they got in over their heads Severus, and Lucius, would be watching them, waiting to step in, and protect their boys; no matter who they had to maim and/or murder to do it. Lucius, and Severus, were former Death Eaters after all. No one would fuck with their boys.

~*~*~*POV Change~*~*~*

An irritated hiss rang through Harry's ear; apparently Ebony did not like to be jostled by her charge as he sprinted back up the stairs to brush his teeth after breakfast. He was moving quicker than normal due to the fact that once he was done they were leaving to go to Diagon Alley.

However, the young raven was just too excited at the moment to pay attention to the, no doubt, harsh rebuke coming from his serpentine familiar. But he really loved Ebony; whoever owned her before him was an idiot to let her go. Even if they couldn't speak to her like Harry could. She was loyal, intelligent, and very protective of Harry.

This pleased Severus, and Lucius, to no end. It took quite a while before his parents were used to hearing Harry hiss at Ebony; the emerald eyed child knew it reminded them of You-Know-Who and those memories were not pleasant for his parents.

For a little while Harry stopped speaking to Ebony in front of them but he got an ear full when his fathers figured out what he was doing. They'd scolded him for hiding his ability just because someone was uncomfortable with them. They said he should be proud to command such a rare talent and anyone who had an issue with it was an idiot and wasn't worth the time to worry about.

From what Harry understood Parseltongue was considered a Dark Art; how was talking to snakes Dark? He didn't quite understand that. Sure, if he commanded Ebony to attack someone that was bad but if he told her to defend him and she bit someone that was good, right? Harry thought it was like what his parents said about magic; it wasn't the spell that was bad but the way you used it.

And since he had no intention of telling Ebony to do anything hurtful his ability to speak to snakes was just that an ability that was neither Light nor Dark. It was how he used that talent that would be good, or evil; not the ability itself.

He, also, knew classifying Parseltongue as Dark was mostly because of the Dark Lord; he could talk to snakes too and had done bad things. Harry speculated the man would have been just as bad even if he couldn't talk to snakes; wouldn't he?

The little raven believed people were scared of the ability so they made it out to be some horrible thing when it wasn't. He just couldn't understand why people didn't like snakes! They were smart, and funny, not to mention hilariously sarcastic.

Harry loved talking to them now that he knew he could. How could anyone think snakes were evil? They were just animals like any other; maybe a bit smarter than most, especially the magical ones like Ebony.

But no animals were evil; some were more aggressive than others but they attacked for reasons; unless they were sick. Dragons, for example, were vicious when provoked but if you let them be they were quite peaceful and content to go about their business. Did dragons deserve to be made out to be the bad guys just because they protected their nests? No, they didn't!

At least Draco thought his ability cool and had from the very start once he got over his shock. Now the blonde liked to listen to Harry speak to Ebony and even tried to mimic him; much to Harry and Ebony's amusement. It warmed the emerald eyed child's heart to know that at least his fathers and Draco accepted his talent; everyone else could go hang, as his papa Luc said.

Once his teeth were brushed and his hair pulled back neatly at the base of his neck Harry left his room. He only stopping by the front door to slip on his boots before making his way back to the kitchen; the floo was located there. He was excited, and nervous, to go to Diagon Alley. This would be the first time he ever visited a true wizarding area.

He'd never been allowed to go to areas like that before now. His dad explained that it was too risky for him to be recognized by anyone. At first Harry pouted, and whined, but then his father's told him that if someone recognized him they may try to take him away, or even try to hurt him. Once Harry was told about his dad;s fears, and reasons, he shut his mouth and didn't complain again. He didn't want anyone to try and take him from his home and family.

But now he could venture out and see the magical world for himself. He was practically vibrating while waiting for Severus to gather their lists. Draco was equally as excited but contained himself a lot better than Harry did. The emerald eyed teen believed it was the Malfoy genes at work; both Lucius and Draco were always so cool and collected.

Harry, and to some degree Severus, were a bit more hot tempered and had no issue telling you when you were out of line. Severus was generally a lot harsher about than Harry was. However, according to Lucius, Harry was taking on more and more of his dad's mannerisms; this pleased the little raven to no end since he adored his dad and thought him the best person in the world.

"Now, Harry and Draco, I want you to stay close to either me or Lucius. Do not wander off, do not speak to strangers, and if someone tries anything remember your necklaces; the password to activate the portkey is Aconite. It will bring you back here; where you will stay until we come back." Both boys nodded, their excitement tempered by Severus' serious words.

Lucius clucked his tongue; "Severus, you don't have to scare them." Said onyx eyed man scowled but held his tongue. Lucius turned toward the two boys; "But Severus is right even if he came across a bit overbearing. You boys must be careful and stay close. If there is anything you want to see please tell us and we will try to take you there. Understand?"

Two heads nodded in unison. Their silent acknowledgement of his words pleased Lucius and he gestured, elegantly, toward the floo; "Well then shall we go?" Both boys shared a grin before joining their respective adult; Harry with Severus and Draco with Lucius. The Malfoy men would go through the floo first, followed by the two ravens.

When Lucius and Draco disappeared into the green flames Severus and Harry stepped in; the younger raven wasn't scared of the green flames he knew they wouldn't hurt him. When they were both in the hearth the onyx eyed man threw down more powder, hugged Harry to him, and called out; "The Leakey Cauldron, Diagon Alley, London."

Harry took a deep breath and allowed himself to be swept away on a rather nauseating journey through the floo network. They were regurgitated into The Leakey Cauldron abruptly; Harry had to clutch onto his dad to keep from falling over from dizziness.

Severus allowed him a moment to collect himself before stepping away and spelling off any ash that may have gotten caught on their robes, or in their dark hair. Ebony, who Harry had forgotten was spitting mad, accusing Harry of trying to kill her.

The younger raven laughed and hissed quietly back at her; "_I'm sorry, Ebony, I didn't know it would be that bad. Next time I'll warn you, okay?_" His familiar settled down under his shirt and became silent as she listened to the noises sounding around them.

Many of the assembled people were staring at them. Their gaping was either because of the presence of the two Malfoys or the fact that the feared Severus Snape was back in London after being away for almost a decade Harry wasn't sure which it was. He found he really didn't care he just wanted them to stop looking at his family as if they were an exhibit at the zoo.

Tired of the attention Harry turned toward his dad and tugged his sleeve; "Dad, can we go now?" A collective gasp filtered through the patrons closest to them when they heard him call Severus his dad; this amused Harry. The Potions Master smirked down at him, showing his amusement at the situation as well; "Of course, let's go my son."

The two ravens sauntered out of the pub, two snickering blondes following behind them. They stopped in front of a brick wall and both boys watched as Lucius drew his wand and tapped the bricks in a certain sequence; Harry tried to remember it so he wouldn't need an adult next time.

When his papa finished a quiet groan was heard as the bricks split apart and opened up to show the two boys their first glimpse of Diagon Alley. Before they could step inside Severus grabbed Harry's arm and turned the smaller raven to face him.

With a sigh his dad tapped his scar with the tip of his wand and murmured a string of words in Latin, Harry didn't know exactly what was being said but he felt a warm sensation covering his lightning bolt scar. He knew then that his dad was applying a Glamour, which the man forgot to do before they left their house.

He thanked Salazar that no one inside the pub saw his scar; which was apparently famous in the wizarding world. People were already looking at him, and his family, with curiosity; Harry couldn't imagine how they'd react if they knew he was the Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry thought that was the dumbest name he'd ever heard, almost as bad as You-Know-Who. His father's cautioned both him, and Draco, not to call him the Dark Lord as it may upset some people. The emerald eyed child hated the whole Boy-Who-Lived thing, not just because it was stupid but because he was so much more than that.

He was Harry; a person with feelings, ideas, and beliefs. He wasn't some nameless, faceless, baby who happened to take down the most feared Dark Lord in a century. He didn't like the fact that people believed they knew him because they'd read some stupid book about him.

How there was a book Harry wasn't too sure as he didn't remember talking to anyone about that night, not that he really remembered it, and he knew his family hadn't either. But he did know that the second Lucius heard about the book he'd contacted his lawyers and forced the publishers to cease its printing, and the distribution of the worthless book.

However, a couple hundred were sold before Lucius could stop them. With a sigh he smiled up at his dad when the man tucked his wand back into his sleeve. The onyx eyed man smiled a small smile down at his child and patted his head; "Alright, let's begin. We should start by getting your wands, and then we can divide up to get things done faster."

All of them agreed but Draco commented that he wanted to go to Quality Quidditch with Harry before they left. Their dads compromised; they would get their wands together before splitting up to get more done and then meet back up to finish up school shopping at Madam Malkin's then they'd go to Quality Quidditch as a treat.

Severus didn't look pleased at having to go to a shop dedicated to the sport of Quidditch but he kept quiet, knowing how much his boys were looking forward to visiting the place. There were three things Harry, and Draco, loved; their family, learning, and Quidditch, exactly in that order so the Potions Master would allow his children to enjoy an hour of frivolity in the Quidditch store.

The quartet made their way through the surging crowd full of parents and their children; who were shopping for their school supplies as well. After a lot of jostling, swerving, and shameless gawking on Harry, and Draco's, part they made it Ollivander's.

The place looked worn, with a wand sitting on a dusty pillow in the window display. Harry looked at his father with an incredulous look on his face, as if the say 'This is it?" His dad chuckled; "Harry, this is the magical world. Not everything is as it seems and you never judge a book by its cover."

The younger raven was properly scolded for his imperceptiveness; this wasn't the muggle world anymore. He was in the wizarding world now; where teacups danced and snakes could talk. He should never take anything at face value while here. With that thought in mind he and his brother pushed into the dank, dusty, shop to get their wands.

This was the part Harry was really looking forward to! His dad told him that his wand would be a part of him, perfectly suited to him and his magic. He looked forward to feeling the warmth, and acceptance, that would flow through him when he met his match; at least his father's said he would feel warmth and acceptance. The young raven was curious to find out exactly what he would feel.

Would it feel like his practice wand? Every time he held it he felt a bit of heat but nothing earth shattering and the way his father's explained it when he held his wand it would feel like fire was flowing through his veins. Well he would just have to wait and see. He was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts by the appearance of a very interesting looking white haired man.

He looked at Harry, and Draco, with eerie eyes, seemingly scanning them from the inside out. Finally, the older man looked his fill of them and turned to his fathers, a smile on his face for the older men; "Ah, Mr.'s Malfoy and Snape. It seems like only yesterday you were in here for your wands."

"If I remember correctly, Mr. Snape, you command a twelve inch Ash wand with a core of Unicorn hair; a particularly regal stallion if I remember correctly. And you, Mr. Malfoy, eighteen inches, made of Hawthorn and the heartstring of a very contrary Hungarian Horntail."

"The wands are still working for the both of you?" Harry watched as his fathers murmured their responses to the wandmaker's question; their voices taking on a bit of the soft quality Ollivander's had.

Harry wondered what kind of wand he'd have; would it be like his dad's. Or would it be more like his papa's? Ollivander turned towards them; "Who would like to go first? Mr. Malfoy, or you Mr. Potter?" Harry nudged Draco's shoulder, allowing Ollivander to use his former name for the moment, letting his brother know he could go first. Draco smirked and gracefully moved to stand in front of the aged white haired man.

The young raven watched in interest as his brother was measured by an enchanted tape measure once he indicated to Ollivander that he was right handed; Harry wasn't sure why the measurement of the distance between Draco's eyes was necessary but he held his tongue nonetheless. He didn't want to ask something stupid and who knew how Ollivander selected a wand for a person.

After Draco tried at least six wands he finally found his match. The younger blonde grasped onto another offered wand and a warm breeze flowed through the dark shop, making the hairs on the back of Harry's neck stand up.

Draco gave the wand a bit of a flick and a shower of silver sparks erupted from the tip, causing Ollivander to clap his hands, happily. "Well, young Mr. Malfoy, it appears you are meant for a ten inch Hawthorn wand. The core is made from the hair of a particularly beautiful Unicorn mare."

Draco beamed at Harry, and then their fathers. The blonde looked pleased with himself and the emerald eyed child was proud of his brother for finding the right wand for him. Wand found Draco went to stand with their fathers while Harry stepped forward so he could be measured.

The process went much the same; Harry indicated he was right handed as well, once his dominant hand was identified he was measured in any manner of ridiculous ways, and then he sampled a variety of wands; each wand making an even bigger spectacle when he flicked it.

Harry wondered if there was a wand for him; he'd already tried at least fifteen with little success, unless you counted blowing things up; which he didn't. Finally, Ollivander's eyes lit up with curiosity and he made his way to the back of the shop, mumbling the whole way.

Harry was confused and directed a look toward his dad; Severus looked just as befuddled as his son in regards to Ollivander's actions but gave Harry a smile. Seeing his dad smile made Harry feel better and surer that he would find a wand, eventually.

Well he'd find it or blow up the store; at this point he wasn't sure which one was more likely. The aged wandmaker choose this moment to re-appear with a very dusty box clasped in his hand. When he was standing toe to toe with Harry he opened the box and offered Harry the wand within it.

When the emerald eyed boy grabbed the wand he felt warmth scorch through him but something felt off. When he gave it a flick the wand shot out sparks but weakly as if something about the wand agreed with Harry being its master but another part was unwilling to bond with the young raven.

Ollivander snatched the wand away, murmuring the word curious over and over again. Harry perked up, wondering what the man was up to. Hadn't the wand worked, somewhat, for him? Stepping forward he called to the older man; "Sir, what's curious?"

The aged man turned, an odd gleam in his odd eyes; "This wand, Mr. Potter." Harry cut him off; "Apologies, sir, but its Potter-Snape." He figured now would be a good time to correct the man's assumption about his name. The wandmaker's eyes lit up brighter after Harry was done speaking; "Yes, yes, that would explain why half of the wand is willing to bond with you while the other is not."

"You see, Mr. Potter-Snape, the core of this wand, a Phoenix feather, is working perfectly with you but it is the wood that is reluctant to allow you to use it. Give me a moment and I will be changing something. Please, wait at the front with your guardians."

Harry nodded but before he left he stopped and looked at Ollivander; "They're not just my guardians, Mr. Ollivander, they're my parents." The old man smiled; "So they are, young man, so they are." Happy the man understood him Harry turned and went back to wait with his dads.

Severus placed a hand on his shoulder; "What's the problem, Harry?" The emerald eyed boy turned to his dad; "Mr. Ollivander said half the wand likes me and the other half doesn't. So, he's fixing it and he'll be here in a moment." His dad snorted; "Only you, my child, only you." It was said with affection lacing the words and Harry just shrugged with a sheepish grin on his face.

It was true though; odd and unbelievable things generally happened to Harry more often than not. It wasn't like he tried to be exceptional, or different, it just happened that way. Like talking to snakes; he didn't even know how he could as it wasn't something he inherited from his birth parents. He could just talk to them.

Draco nudged him; "It was quite funny to watch you destroy half the store." Both boys snickered; "Indeed, it was. But I really do want to find the wand for me, you know." His blonde brother ruffled his hair, which caused Harry to hiss at him in irritation.

Harry really hated it when someone, except his fathers, ruffled his hair; it would stick up in wacky directions and take forever to get it to lay flat again. The shorter boy stepped away from his annoying sibling and fussed with his ponytail, taking the leather strap out so he could smooth the top down again.

Satisfied that he didn't look like he had been electrocuted Harry pulled the thick strands back and re-secured the leather band at the base of his neck. Ebony slithered from her place around his shoulders and poked her head out of the collar of his shirt; "_What's the problem, master? Haven't you found a wand yet?_"

Harry huffed but hissed a reply to his serpent familiar, giving Ebony a rundown of the situation they were in at the moment. The pretty snake nodded and went back to her place under Harry's shirt; he giggled when her tail tickled under his arm. He heard a gasp from behind him and saw the old wandmaker looking at him with wide eyes.

The young raven began to fidget under those watchful eyes, feeling slightly off kilter. Was this how everyone would respond to him being about to talk to snakes? It would certainly get rather annoying. He felt his dad step forward, and saw out of the corner of his eye that he was glaring at Mr. Ollivander.

Severus placed a reassuring hand on Harry's right shoulder; "Is there a problem, Ollivander?" The emerald eyed child shivered at the tone his dad was taking with the wandmaker; it promised trouble if the man upset Harry about his Parseltongue ability.

The wandmaker swallowed, glancing at Severus then at Lucius who was stepping forward to Harry's other side, placing a hand on Harry's free shoulder and in that patented Malfoy drawl asked; "Indeed, Mr. Ollivander, is there a problem with Harry's wand? Or perhaps there is something else unsettling you?"

The emerald eyed boy felt sorry for Mr. Ollivander in that moment. He imagined this was what a rat felt like when it was being stalked by a snake. The white haired man shook his head and hurriedly spoke; "No, no, everything is quite fine. Here, Mr. Potter-Snape, take the wand and give it a wave."

Harry grasped the offered wand and felt a tidal wave of heat flood his veins and a warm gust of air brush past him; he knew in that moment that this was his wand. With a flick of his wrist an eruption of green sparks flew from the tip, making Harry beam at the wand in his hand; "This is it, this is definitely it, dad!"

Severus, and Lucius, gave him proud smiles and stepped away from Harry, making their way to the counter to pay for their wands. Ollivander followed quickly, sidling up to the cash register behind the counter. He looked at Harry; "You, Mr. Potter-Snape, command an eleven inch Ash wand with a Phoenix feather core. It is curious that your core is from that particular Phoenix."

Harry cocked his head to the side; "Why is it curious, sir?" The emerald eyed boy felt like the wandmaker had wanted say what he was going to say next for quite some time but refrained until this moment; "It is curious as the Phoenix whose feather is in your wand gave one other feather. That other feather is currently in the wand that gave you that scar."

Emerald green eyes flew wide open when Mr. Ollivander pointed toward where his glamoured scar was. His fathers, and brother, hissed at Ollivander in what could have been anger. Harry wasn't sure at this point. At that moment he was still too shocked by what he'd just found out about his wand.

The Phoenix gave two feathers; one for Harry's wand and one for the Dark Lord's. What did it mean? It made Harry nervous, and a bit afraid. He turned toward his dad and looked up at him, pleading to get the hell out of there and away from the weird wandmaker.

Severus placed a hand, yet again, on Harry's shoulder and guided him out of the store. Draco followed them while Lucius paid. The elder blonde was giving Ollivander a glare that could simultaneously freeze someone and cause them to spontaneously combust at the same time.

When they reached the cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley Harry began to rub his invisible scar. His mind whirling with what he'd just heard. Draco, obviously noticing his brothers distress, walked up to Harry's side and nudged his shoulder; "Harry, you alright? Do you want to go home?"

The emerald eyes teen snapped out of his funk; did he want to go home? No, he wanted to explore Diagon and he knew Draco did too. He wouldn't ruin their day simply because he's heard some upsetting news. He, and Draco, had been looking forward to this day for a long time and Harry wouldn't ruin it for anything.

He smiled at his brother and shook his head; "No, I don't want to go home. We still have to get our school stuff and go look at new racing brooms." Draco smiled, looking pleased that his brother was cheering back up; "Good. And Harry don't worry too much about what Ollivander said. I'm sure father, and Severus, can explain what's going on with your wand."

Harry nodded in agreement; his fathers would know what was going on. There was no reason to stress out just yet. He smiled at his dad, letting the man know he was alright and ready to continue on with their shopping trip. The onyx eyed man looked at him critically before deciding Harry was alright for now and turned toward Lucius who was just now leaving the wand shop.

The four of them stood together; Harry and Draco marveling at the shops in their vicinity while the adults discussed who would go where. In the end it was decided that Harry and Severus would get their books and potions supplies.

Lucius and Draco would get everything else on the list, including their owls. They would meet up at Madam Malkin's for robes before they went to Quality Quidditch; like they'd agreed on before. Harry and Draco smiled at each other while their fathers clasped hands for a minute before they separated to collect all their Hogwarts things.

_**I don't have a lot to say at this point. This chapter was a bitch to write; so much to fit into each chapter. I want to cover everything without rushing it all or having it sound disjointed. I want to give as detailed an account of Harry's life as I can so no one has questions, and there are no loose ends; or unanswered questions. Hopefully, I accomplished it so far!**_

_**Below is a bit about wands and wand cores; enjoy! Also, I believe Harry's wand wood changed as he is now more confident in himself and in his abilities. So the wood would adjust for that; if you noticed wielders of an Ash wand are not easily swayed from their beliefs and/or purposes.**_

_**I changed Severus' wand wood to Ash, it fits his personality in my opinion, as that was what I chose for Harry's wand; I'm putting forward the possibility that someone's familial magic, upbringing, and personality traits could affect a person's wand core and wood. Since Harry was raised by Severus, and sees him as his parent, his wand wood mirrors his. The same thing with Lucius and Draco both having Hawthorn wands.**_

_**I think now that Harry is confident in himself he will stick to his guns and form his own opinions on people, regardless of what anyone says; especially as he gets older. This is why I chose Ash for both Harry and Severus.**_

_**The Phoenix feather has remained the same since Harry is still connected to the Dark Lord in some way. But we will get to that later. *Cackles insanely***_

_**Well that's it for me and as always; All Mistakes Are My Own!**_

_***WANDLORE***_

_Ash Wood:_

The ash wand clings to its one true master and ought not to be passed on or gifted from the original owner, because it will lose power and skill. This tendency is extreme if the core is of unicorn. Old superstitions regarding wands rarely bear close examination, but it is believed that the old rhyme regarding rowan, chestnut, ash and hazel wands (rowan gossips, chestnut drones, ash is stubborn, hazel moans) contains a small nugget of truth. Those witches and wizards best suited to ash wands are not lightly swayed from their beliefs or purposes.

_Hawthorn Wood:_

The wandmaker Gregorovitch wrote that hawthorn 'makes a strange, contradictory wand, as full of paradoxes as the tree that gave it birth, whose leaves and blossoms heal, and yet whose cut branches smell of death.' While he and Garrick Ollivander disagreed on many fronts, they concurred about hawthorn wands, which are complex and intriguing in their natures, just like the owners who best suit them.

Hawthorn wands may be particularly suited to healing magic, but they are also adept at curses, and it has been generally observed that the hawthorn wand seems most at home with a conflicted nature, or with a witch or wizard passing through a period of turmoil.

Hawthorn is not easy to master, however, and one should only ever consider placing a hawthorn wand in the hands of a witch or wizard of proven talent, or the consequences might be dangerous. Hawthorn wands have a notable peculiarity: their spells can, when badly handled, backfire.

_Unicorn Hair Core:_

Unicorn hair generally produces the most consistent magic, and is least subject to fluctuations and blockages. Wands with unicorn cores are generally the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts. They are the most faithful of all wands, and usually remain strongly attached to their first owner, irrespective of whether he or she was an accomplished witch or wizard.

Minor disadvantages of unicorn hair are that they do not make the most powerful wands (although the wand wood may compensate) and that they are prone to melancholy if seriously mishandled, meaning that the hair may 'die' and need replacing.

_Dragon Heartstring Core:_

As a rule, dragon heartstrings produce wands with the most power, and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells. Dragon wands tend to learn quicker than other types. While they can change allegiance if won from their original master, they always bond strongly with the current owner.

The dragon wand tends to be easiest to turn to the Dark Arts, though it will not incline that way of its own accord. It is also the most prone of the three cores to accidents, being somewhat temperamental. It also tends to be lethally hazardous if combined with certain woods.

_Phoenix Feather Core:_

This is one of the rarest core types. Phoenix feathers are capable of the greatest range of magic, though they may take longer than either unicorn hair or dragon heartstring cores to reveal this. They show the most initiative, sometimes acting of their own accord, a quality that many witches and wizards dislike.

Phoenix feather wands are always the pickiest when it comes to potential owners, for the creature from which they are taken is one of the most independent and detached in the world. These wands are the hardest to tame and to personalize, and their allegiance is usually hard won.

_**Everything above about wandlore was pulled from Harry Potter Wiki; so if I'm wrong blame them. LOL!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_Author: HatefulRodeo_

_Story: Of Unexpected Deliveries and Doorsteps_

_Notes: Hello Lovelies! PLEASE REMEMBER THIS IS A/U; meaning I can change or do whatever the hell I want. Another thing do not review and suggest to me what I should and/or should not do in my story! If you have so many ideas WRITE YOUR OWN FUCKING STORY! Anywho, THANKS TO ALL THAT REVIEWED, FAV'D, AND FOLLOWED! _

_**Parseltongue looks like **__"This"!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I will make no money from the posting of this story._

_Previously:_

_Harry nodded in agreement; his fathers would know what was going on. There was no reason to stress out just yet. He smiled at his dad, letting the man know he was alright and ready to continue on with their shopping trip. The onyx eyed man looked at him critically before deciding Harry was alright for now and turned toward Lucius who was just now leaving the wand shop._

_The four of them stood together; Harry and Draco marveling at the shops in their vicinity while the adults discussed who would go where. In the end it was decided that Harry and Severus would get their books and potions supplies._

_Lucius and Draco would get everything else on the list, including their owls. They would meet up at Madam Malkin's for robes before they went to Quality Quidditch; like they'd agreed on before. Harry and Draco smiled at each other while their fathers clasped hands for a minute before they separated to collect all their Hogwarts things._

_**~*~*~*Chapter 6*~*~*~**_

Two days had passed since Harry and his family went to Diagon Alley, which was absolutely amazing! Harry never knew how awesome the magical world was until he saw Diagon Alley. There was so much to see; he liked the bookstore the most! Flourish and Blotts he believed it was called. Harry loved walking through all the shelves of books, selecting all the texts he needed for school and those he wanted to read for fun.

Severus helped him by carrying the basket and making suggestions on which books would be best to buy for recreational reading. He'd also picked out a few simple books on Runes and Arithmancy. His blonde sibling was interested, as was Harry, in the subjects, mostly because of Potions.

His dad explained that Arithmancy and Runes could be used to strengthen a potion, making it more effective, or give it a longer shelf life. Severus hadn't gone too deep into the explanation of how this worked but it sparked Draco and Harry's interest. They wouldn't be able to take Runes or Arithmancy until third year but it never hurt to get a head start.

Then after the bookstore they went to Slug & Jiggers Apothecary; Severus refused to go anywhere else, citing that the other stores sold lesser quality ingredients at a far higher price. Harry just thought Severus liked the man who ran the place; his dad spent a good ten minutes just talking to the man behind the counter, Mr. Jigger. His dad, normally, didn't like to talk to anyone besides him, Draco, and papa Luc!

Once Severus concluded his conversation, which Harry tried to follow but it was quite over his head; something about stewing Aconite petals for a few hours as opposed to boiling them quickly would allow the brewer to extract more of the magical properties out of the flower.

The emerald eyed child had no clue why stewing would help but valiantly tried to keep up, if only to not look like a dunderhead. He was relieved when they began to shop for their needed potions ingredients and cauldrons. Mr. Jigger, as it turned out, did sell cauldrons and other brewing necessities but only to those he liked and found worthy.

Thankfully, Severus Snape's boys were on the list and they bought all their potions ingredients and equipment from there. It saved them a trip to the cauldron shop, which according to Mr. Jigger didn't give flying Nargle's foot about the quality of their cauldrons. Harry wasn't sure how accurate that was but he didn't say anything. His dad liked Mr. Jigger and Harry didn't want to upset his dad's friend.

When they'd stepped out of the shop Severus shrunk all of their potions purchases; none of the ingredients bought would react badly to magic. Some plants, Harry knew, couldn't be shrunk as the interaction between the plants magic and the wizard's would change the properties of the plant, making a once harmless plant quite toxic.

Purchases shrunken and in their pockets they made their way to Madam Malkin's; Lucius and Draco were arriving just as they were. Harry beamed when he saw the cages holding the owls the blondes picked out for them to take to school; one was snowy white with large amber eyes and the other was black with bright yellow eyes.

Both were gorgeous but Harry felt a tug toward the Snowy Owl; she seemed sweeter than the large black Eagle Owl. Besides Draco was sort of cuddling the dark bird's cage, stroking its chest lightly through the bars. Yup, that had decided it for Harry; the Snowy one was his and he happy they wouldn't have to argue about who would have which owl.

After Harry stroked his new owl, cooing at the pretty bird, they'd gone into Malkin's for their clothes for school. In the end both Harry and Draco bought school robes, shirts, slacks, sweaters, and new everyday robes for when they weren't in class. Most of their wardrobe at home was muggle; jeans, polo shirts, and sneakers.

Now, they needed dressier things for school; they couldn't look like urchins could they? But Harry planned on bringing all his clothes with him; muggle and magical. He didn't want to wear his good shoes and clothes to Herbology; wouldn't they get dirty? So he figured his old clothes could be used for lounging or classes he knew they'd get dirty in. He'd tell Draco to do the same thing.

After getting what seemed like three hundred pounds of clothes they left the robe shop and went to the best store Diagon had; Quality Quidditch! It was everything Harry hoped it would be! They had the best racing brooms and while Harry couldn't have a broom at school he still admired the broom; it was the fastest Nimbus model yet!

Maybe he could get one for Christmas or after the school year; they always got a present after the school year if they got good marks. Harry wasn't worried about his grades. He was smart and would work hard to make himself and his family proud. Draco would too. So there was no reason why they wouldn't get new brooms, besides their old brooms were getting a bit worn; they'd owned them since they were seven.

He still remembered Severus cracking and allowing Lucius to get them real brooms; two old Comet 140's. Where papa Luc found them was not known but he and Draco loved them. Up until they were seven they'd both used Beginners' brooms; a Beginners' broom was spelled to not go above a height of six feet, and couldn't go faster than twenty miles per hour. Lucius taught them how to control the broom and how to sit appropriately so they wouldn't fall off.

But Beginners' brooms sucked! However, Harry understood; real brooms were dangerous if not ridden correctly and his dad didn't want them to crack their skulls and lose whatever brain cells they had left. Once they'd received the Comet's Draco and Harry tore around the property like madmen, whooping loudly, and spiraling through the air. Their actions almost damn near giving Severus a heart attack until Lucius drug the man into a kiss, which shut the worrying Potions Master up.

Since then Severus mumbled curses at the brooms but never stopped Draco and him from taking them out for Seeker games. Harry believed that as much as his dad hated the brooms he enjoyed the peace and quiet he got when Harry and his brother were flying outside. Severus valued his peace and quiet very much and savored any quiet time he could get.

Now Harry believed he and Draco were more than ready for a Nimbus 2000; they were great on brooms and their parents knew it. But getting Severus to agree may be a challenge...that was okay he'd ask Lucius. The elder blonde couldn't say no to his sons, not when puppy dog eyes came into play.

Not to mention Lucius liked to get them the things they wanted; this was a win win situation for everyone involved. Well with the exception of his dad. Harry and Draco would get cool new brooms and Lucius could feel smug for getting them something they really wanted. His papa could deal with an irritated Potions Master afterwards. The emerald eyed teen almost felt sorry for his papa when he thought about the verbal beating he'd take from Severus but not quite enough for him not to ask for a Nimbus.

After an hour spent ogling the wears in the shop they'd left and made their way back toward The Leakey Cauldron; on the way Harry picked out all the stores he wanted to go to when they returned. He really couldn't wait to go back and explore the whole Alley. Maybe over Christmas? By then the world should be calming down about his reentrance to the wizarding world.

He'd have to ask Severus about it once they got closer to the holidays; he knew the man would never let two eleven year olds squirrel around the Alley but maybe he could be persuaded to come with. And if not Severus than papa Luc; the blonde man never seemed to be able to turn down shopping, something Severus took great joy in teasing the elder Malfoy about.

Upon their return home he and Draco had packed their trunks with everything they would need for the school term; with the exception of clothes and a few books. They would pack those the day before they needed to leave for the Platform. Now that things had settled back down in the house Severus and Lucius were going to sit Harry and Draco down to discuss his scar and why that affected his wand.

The visit to Ollivander's had shaken him a little bit. It made him nervous for some reason that he couldn't explain. He felt branded in some way by his scar. Where he'd never thought about it, or paid it any attention, he now always looked at it in the mirror. Harry didn't know why he wanted to keep observing it; maybe he was waiting for it to do something.

While he was nervous about the correlation between his wand and his scar he wasn't freaking out about it too much. Well not since Ollivander first dropped the tidbit about the Dark Lord's wand in his shop two days ago. His fathers didn't appear nervous, or fearful, about his wand so the emerald eyed boy figured it couldn't be too bad.

His sibling followed him into the sitting room where their parents were seated. Both men looked perfectly calm and composed; their actions set Harry even more at ease. When he and Draco sat down Severus leaned forward and looked directly at Harry, announcing without words that everyone should listen as this was important; "Harry, I know you've been wondering about your scar and how it affected the wand that chose you."

"Before I start I want you to know that everything I'm about to say is speculation. No one has endured something like you have, Harry. So, I have nothing to compare what's happened to you against. However, we," here Severus gestured between Lucius and himself with his hand; "believe that the night the Dark Lord attacked your parents and gave you your scar he also gave you something else."

"What that something is I can only guess. But it seems to be a connection of some sort between you and him. It is the only thing I can think of to explain why you can speak Parseltongue. Neither of your birth parents had the ability and it is only passed down through blood relations; mother to daughter, father to son, etc."

"This connection, of sorts, and what it means to, and for, you is unknown. So far nothing horrible has happened because of it but that doesn't mean that something bad won't happen. I don't want to scare you, Harry. But I want you to know what I believe is going on , as far as I know it, so you'll be prepared for anything."

"I must ask that if your scar acts in any manner that is abnormal that you tell me straightaway so I, or Lucius, can look into the reasons as to why it is flaring up. With this information we could possibly come up with solutions to make sure you scar doesn't bother you. Can you do that for me?" Harry was stunned, completely and utterly stunned! He was, possibly, connected to the Dark Lord? He was connected to the man who killed his parents!

He felt slightly ill; as if everything he knew was turned upside down and shaken. He cast wide emerald eyes at his dad, hoping the man would say something to make this better. What he wanted Severus to say was debatable; the best option was that he was just joking and that Harry wasn't possibly connected to his birth parents' murderer.

However, looking at his dad he didn't see that option happening. Conscious of how hard his heart was beating Harry took a deep breath and exhaled, continuing the process over and over again until he calmed down. He needed to think rationally about this connection; now was not the time to freak about this.

His heart back to a normal rate Harry looked at his dad again; "So, you're saying that the reason my wand chose me... well the reason the Phoenix feather chose me is because of my connection to the Dark Lord?" Severus nodded, encouraging Harry to continue working though his shock; "So, he and I have the same wand core; what does that mean?" Here Lucius joined the conversation; "It means, Harry, that you and he have brother wands; which is incredibly rare."

"No one quite knows how brother wands will act when they are exposed to one another. They may prohibit the wizards wielding them from harming the other; no one knows. Generally, from what little is known, brother wands are found within the same family, siblings usually. Whatever connection you have with the Dark Lord is strong, or will be if it is awakened any more than it already is."

Awakened? What on Earth did that mean? Harry looked at his blonde papa, pleading with his eyes and words for more information; "Papa, what do you mean by awakened any more than it is?" The elder blonde sighed; "Severus, and I, think the connection became active as you matured magically. The first time you could understand a snake was when you were ten; most young wizards' experience the most growth in their magical cores, not counting their time developing in their bearer's womb, beginning at ten and ending at thirteen."

"Another growth point is between fifteen and eighteen; which is why you O.W.L.'s and N.E.W.T.s are held in your fifth and seventh years. But I digress as I'm wandering off the topic. We believe that when your core began to grow the connection had enough power to become somewhat active and remain that way."

"Don't you find it odd that you and Draco encountered snakes when you walked with Severus in the woods before but you couldn't understand them until you were ten?" Now that Harry thought about it that made sense. He'd stumbled on a few snakes over the years and up until Ebony he couldn't understand them.

So, he had received his Parseltongue abilities from the Dark Lord. Harry had sort of come to that same conclusion as well; if only within his own mind. But to hear someone else say it was a bit more real.

But the connection couldn't be all bad! Without it he wouldn't have gotten to talk to Ebony and she was a great friend. And if the connection didn't affect anything else aside from that it wouldn't be too bad, right? He was feeling a bit better; still a little shaken but better. He still had questions for his parents, though; "Will the connection change anything else? Should I do anything to prevent it from affecting me more?"

Severus sighed, looking over at Draco. This drew Harry's gaze over to his brother; the blonde still looked just as shocked as Harry had a few minutes ago. The younger raven wanted to chuckle at seeing his sibling lose that vaunted Malfoy composure but couldn't find it in himself to do it. Draco was his brother, and best friend, he couldn't laugh about something this serious.

The Potions Master sighed; "Draco, are you alright? If you don't want to hear about this you can leave. Your father and I wanted you here so you would know what's going on with Harry; we want you both to be prepared for anything that could happen to him and our family."

The younger Malfoy closed his eyes for a couple of moments, probably trying to get a handle on his emotions, before he opened his grey eyes; "I'm alright." Here the younger blonde gave a shaky grin;" That was just very shocking. I knew you were going to talk about something big but I didn't see this coming. But I think I'll be alright. I don't want to leave. Harry's my brother and I want to be there for him if he needs me. So, please, continue."

Harry beamed at his brother, conveying all his love through his eyes. He really did love Draco and he couldn't imagine what it would be like if he didn't have the snarky blonde to keep him company over all these years. Severus made a noise in the back of his throat before turning to Harry again; "Now, Harry, the connection may change we do not know. As of right now the Dark Lord is not technically alive."

"Exactly what he is is unknown to all but Dumbledore and that man isn't telling anyone anything. What will happen if he becomes more powerful, or comes back completely, is questionable. However, there will be signs if he is indeed rising again. That is why I want you to pay attention to your scar, and tell me if anything happens. I don't care if it only twinges; you will tell me."

Harry nodded his agreement to Severus' plea and asked another question; "But what can I do to make sure the connection doesn't become stronger?" Severus sighed, almost looking like he was in pain from what he was going to say; "Nothing, there is nothing you can do. Maybe I can begin to teach you Occlumency but it will take at least two years for you to become proficient enough to block, at least partially, the connection you have with the Dark Lord."

"Even as a master of Occlumency you may never be able to block your connection with him completely. As I said before no one has any idea what will happen; you're the only person to ever survive the Killing Curse. As much as I want to tell you what could happen I can't. I will not lie to you, or give you a false sense of security, and tell you nothing will happen and then be proved wrong. I love you; Lucius loves you, too much to lie to you."

Harry nodded, feeling immense love for the people in the room. It felt good to know his parents wouldn't lie to him or say fake words of comfort or make promises they couldn't keep. He liked how they treated him like an intelligent person not a stupid child.

Many parents would sugarcoat things, or dodge the issue completely, but he was lucky to have his parents; they trusted him to be able to handle this information and he wouldn't disappoint them by acting out like a child. They were trusting him with very important information and he would be on his guard for any changes regarding his scar.

But he couldn't deny he was scared that the scar would hurt him in some way; "Dad, papa, my scar can't hurt me can it? I mean it gave me the ability to talk to Ebony so it can't be all bad, right?" Lucius and Severus looked at each other, silent conversation passing between them. Finally, they came to an understanding. Lucius turned back toward Harry; "It may be bad but it may not. We don't know, Harry."

"Just monitor your scar and let Severus, or myself, know about any changes. We can track them and maybe find a pattern or anticipate what else may happen to you. It is hard, if not impossible to predict, what may befall you as we don't know the depth of the connection you share with the Dark Lord. Learning Occlumency will help to shield your mind just in case he can access your thoughts and feelings."

Harry nodded, thinking hard. He knew what Occlumency was; it was another branch of magic that was considered Dark. Why Harry had no clue? How was making sure someone couldn't invade, and pick apart your mind, a bad thing? It was just another one of those it's the way you use it that makes it bad things and he shouldn't dwell on it for too long; he bigger fish to fry, as the muggles say.

"Dad, do you think I can learn Occlumency? You told us it was difficult and most don't start their instruction until they're at least thirteen. Can I really do it? Shield my mind I mean?" Severus tapped his chin; "I do, Harry. You show a remarkable amount of focus for one so young. I have faith that you'll be able to get the hang of it with enough instruction and determination."

"Draco," the younger blonde tore his eyes from Harry and glanced at Severus, showing his was paying attention; "I want you to learn along with Harry. Occlumency will do you both good in the future. It will not only be useful for helping your brother to shut down the connection between him and the Dark Lord but it will shield your mind from anyone who wishes to use your thoughts and feelings against you."

"The mastery of the art of Occlumency is achieved through meditation, which helps you clear your mind and order your thoughts, and intense practice. It is only through practice that you will know if the barriers erected around your mind are strong enough. But I will explain all that later on; for now I will give you both a book on Occlumency and I want you both to read it before we leave for Hogwarts. Once we are settled into the castle I will begin your lessons in Occlumency."

Harry perked up when he heard his dad's choice of words; "What do you mean 'Before We leave for Hogwarts'?" Severus smirked at his boys; "Well, if you must know, you're looking at the newly reinstated Potions professor, and Head of Slytherin House, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The younger raven jumped up and hugged Severus while Draco stood and moved to place a hand on his surrogate father's shoulder

Harry was happy that his dad would be there with him at school. He glanced at Draco and they beamed at each other; this was great news! Severus being at Hogwarts would make things so much easier for him, especially if his scar began to act wonky.

Also, it made him feel safe to know at least one of his parents would be around to help him should he need it. Lucius was chuckling next to them, quite amused at the scene in front of him; "Alright, Harry, I think Severus needs air." Harry sheepishly backed off, allowing the onyx eyed man the chance to catch his breath; "Salazar! Harry, you almost choked the life out of me!" The onyx eyed man spoke as he huffed out a laugh at his son's enthusiastic response to his news.

"But I'm glad you're pleased with my appointment at the school. Lucius will be there over the weekends, too. I'd like us all to meet for breakfast and dinner at least once a week as a family." Two blondes and one raven nodded their agreement to Severus' suggestion. Harry really would like to have a family breakfast and dinner at least once a week. It would be odd to not have meals with, or see his, family everyday like he had for so many years.

The only time they weren't all together was because Lucius had business somewhere or other and he couldn't make it home. The emerald eyed boy smiled at his family with love in his heart; he really loved them. The racing thoughts of connections to an insane Dark Lord were absent from his mind at the moment; for right now he wanted to enjoy his family.

~*~*~*Time Skip~*~*~*

The Morning of September 1, 1991

"Harry James Potter-Snape! Draco Lucius Malfoy! Get your behinds down here for breakfast or so help me Merlin you won't be going to Hogwarts on the train!

Lucius snickered behind his tea cup but promptly shut up when Severus glared at him. With a smug smirk on his face the onyx eyed man placed the breakfast dishes loaded with food on the table but stopped before placing the first plate down. He felt an odd sense of deja vu come over him just then but shoved it away as unimportant.

He finished settling the breakfast platters and began to serve himself, smiling when he saw two very excited boys plop down in their usual seats and begin to stuff their respective faces, gracefully of course. Severus didn't raise heathens who shoveled food in their mouth like some savage. Silence permeated the room while everyone sated their hunger.

Severus couldn't help but look at his family. Merlin he adored them so much and he would do anything to keep them safe and whole. Lucius looked like he was experiencing his own sense of nostalgia; those usually cool grey eyes were bright with love and the ghosts of years passed. It seemed like only yesterday they were moving into this place, both trying to work together to form something of a routine.

They fought, argued, and made love more times in those first six months than they had in their whole relationship. But in the end they'd settled down and truly became a cohesive, if odd, family group. Through the years he and Lucius had overcome many things; some things they never saw coming and some that were festering between them for a long time.

Most predominantly was Lucius' belief that pure-bloods were better than half-bloods and muggle-borns. Severus was proud that his lover was able to finally see past someone's blood status after so many years of brainwashing via his own father. Lucius' father, Abraxas Malfoy, was an ass of epic proportions and Severus was happy to see him go. The diagnosis of Dragon Pox had never been more welcomed.

Lucius now looked at Harry as he looked at his own son. Severus only saw pride, love, and protectiveness in those grey eyes. Harry was truly as much Lucius' son as he was Severus'. The truth could be said for Draco as well; Severus had taken an even bigger parental role over the young blonde when his mother stepped out of the picture completely.

After the divorce Narcissa abandoned her child and moved to France, at least he thought it was France or was it Finland? He didn't really care; he hated that woman with a fire that would rival the sun. Up until the divorce little Cissa would see Draco once a month and spend some time with him. While it wasn't much it was at least something.

Draco wasn't close to her but she was still his mother and he loved her for that reason. When she disappeared from his life the little blonde was upset and didn't understand why she didn't want him. Sure, she'd never shown him love like Lucius, or even Severus did, but she was still his mother. And weren't mothers supposed to love and support their children?

It took a little while for Draco to understand it wasn't his fault his mother was a cold-hearted excuse for a witch. Once he did though he and Harry formed another type of bond; a bond of loss. Both his boys had lost a parent, and gained a parent not of their blood, in one way or another. Draco now never asked about his mother; sometimes Severus believed the blonde didn't even want to think about the woman who bore him.

It was probably for the best; Narcissa wouldn't do anything good for her son. She tried to get custody of Draco but failed miserably. Lucius pulled no punches and showed every shred of evidence against her. The Malfoy Lord exposed her many affairs and the way she ignored her son in favor of parties and social events; let's just say the court wasn't too pleased by these circumstances and awarded Lucius sole custody.

His blonde lover was ordered to return Narcissa's dowry to her and once a month she was to receive one hundred galleons in support from Lucius. Also, an order stating that Narcissa would have to arrange any visits with her son with Lucius was handed down. Needless to say Narcissa never contacted Lucius once to arrange a meeting between her and her only child.

Despite the divorce, and Narcissa's subsequent departure from Malfoy Manor, the four of them never moved into the massive stone structure. They liked their quiet life in France; no one from Severus' or Lucius' past lives knew them here so they were free to live their lives how they wanted.

Also, Harry Potter wasn't as bid a deal in France as he was in Britain, this fact added another layer of protection for Harry. Besides, Severus knew people visited the Manor to see Lucius on occasion; the onyx eyed man refused to hide his raven haired son away whenever his lover was expecting company.

Oh and how could Sevrus forget the impromptu Ministry raids on the Manor?! Yes, Lucius was found innocent at his trial before the Wizengamot after the first war by pleading he was Imperius'd but that didn't stop the idiotic powers that be from being suspicious of the Malfoy Lord. The raids had calmed down over the years but they did happen.

All it would take was one Auror, or Ministry worker, to recongize Harry and their peaceful life was done. So, no moving into Malfoy Manor until his boys went to Hogwarts. Over the summer they would most likely stay in Lucius' family home but Severus would not be adverse to visiting their home on France; it would be nice to get away from it all.

Three chairs scraping back alerted him to the fact that everyone was done eating and getting ready to go to Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Severus was surprised he'd drifted off in his mind so deeply. Mentally shaking himself he looked down at his plate and was shocked to see it was empty. Had he really eaten and not noticed? Salazar this day was affecting him more than he thought!

Well it was to be expected wasn't it? The life he'd known for almost ten years was coming to an end and a new chapter was beginning. It was only reasonable that he would be pensive today. With a sigh he banished the remaining food to the trash and the dishes to the sink, where they began to wash themselves. Once they were clean they'd place themselves in the drying rack next to the sink.

Standing he smoothed his black robes down and fiddled with his sleek dark hair, recognizing the nervous habit for what it was he stopped his fidgeting. It wouldn't do to become unsettled and unnerve the rest of his family. His boys were already nervous as it was. As much as any child wanted to go to Hogwarts it was a nerve wracking experience.

He smiled; well at least he would be at the school with Harry and Draco. That should ease their feelings of homesickness. He'd left the school late last night so he could be here to eat breakfast with, and escort, his children to the platform. Once he sent them onto the Hogwarts Express he'd apparate back to the school and wait for the students to arrive.

Lucius would apparate back to their home and later on he would come to Hogwarts to see Severus and discuss their sons' sorting. Both men were interested to see where their hellions would end up; Slytherin was their best guess. Harry may be a Gryffindor at times but the boy was pure Slytherin at the core. He was too sneaky not to be; never had the world seen such an accomplished cookie thief.

Draco was, most likely, going to Slytherin. He was a Malfoy and Malfoys always went to the serpent house. However, the younger blonde's thirst for knowledge made him a prime candidate for Ravenclaw. But only time would tell where the two boys would end up. All Severus knew was regardless of where Harry and Draco ended up they would not drift apart. Those two were too tightly bound to separate now.

Lucius wrapping his arms around his waist brought him, once again, out of his thoughts. With a small smile he turned his face and placed a soft kiss to Lucius' cheek. The loud "EWWW!" from their boys was completely ignored by the elder males. After a few moments of snuggling into Lucius' strong, warm, body he pulled away.

"Alright, Malfoy-Potter-Snapes, let's get going. You boys have a train to catch." Two whoops of happiness were heard from one blonde and one raven. Lucius laughed; "Alright, Draco come here so we can floo." The younger Malfoy came to stand by his father and together they stepped into the floo.

Lucius grabbed a hand full of powder from the pot next to the hearth, and called out their destination; with a flash of green the two blondes were gone. Fireplace empty Severus and Harry stepped in. The elder male smiled when he heard his child hiss to the snake around his neck, letting her know that they were about to floo to the Platform.

He remembered how upset Ebony was when they'd floo'd to The Leakey Cauldron to buy the boys' school supplies. Once the hissing stopped he looked down at his emerald eyed son; Harry nodded letting him know it was alright to floo. The older raven threw a bit more floo powder onto the floor and spoke; "Platform Nine and Three Quarters, King's Cross Stations, London," with another flash of green flames they were gone.

~*~*~*POV Change~*~*~*

Harry was nervous when he and his dad emerged from the floo at Platform Nine and Three Quarters. There were so many people milling about! The sounds of chatter, owl's hooting, and a myriad of other noises were almost overwhelming to the raven haired eleven year old. Severus' hand on his shoulder grounded him, taking a deep breath Harry moved to stand with his papa and brother.

The little family of four made their way to the train; the red steam engine was beautiful to Harry and he couldn't wait to find a compartment and enjoy his first ride to Hogwarts! Draco looked equally as excited as he did. When their eyes met they both beamed at each other.

They were finally Hogwarts bound! Harry was sure they would be top of their classes; there really wasn't an alternative when you were raised with two incredibly intelligent men like their fathers were. But the emerald eyed teen wondered if he'd make other friends while at school? He loved Draco and no one would ever take the blonde's place but it would be nice to have other people around to talk to.

But he had to remember what his parents' said about the other kids and their families. He didn't want to get too close to someone whose family was close to either Dumbledore or the Dark Lord. He felt that was safer for him and Draco at the moment. The young raven had no desire to get involved in wizarding politics just yet; he just wanted to be a student for a while and enjoy his childhood.

Severus, however, told him that some people would be expecting things from him. They'd want him to act like some savior or something; that wasn't going to happen. He would be Harry. He would not some bloody knight in shining armor running off to save the day; no thank you! If people didn't like it well they could shove off and go away.

He was Harry James Potter-Snape; he was a son, a brother, and a damn good person. If some idiots couldn't see that more the pity for them. The raven refused to change just so people would like him. Harry wouldn't be someone he wasn't just to please the masses of wizarding people who idolized him for something he couldn't even remember.

A hiss broke him out of his internal pep talk and made him look down at the pretty black snake that was twisting herself around his neck; _"Master, are you alright? I sense your unease."_ Harry smiled down at his bonded familiar with a small grin on his face, grateful that even if he made zero friends this year he would still have Draco and Ebony.

Their bonding had taken place a week before; it wasn't hard just a bit uncomfortable for the both of them. It was an adjustment to feel Ebony's mind merge with his so they could feel each other through their link. Once the discomfort, and disorientation, ended they'd played with the bond; it was amazing! Harry could see what Ebony saw when she was away from him.

Harry figured that would be a good thing to have if he ever needed to spy or have a lookout. His serpent familiar was a Titanoboa; he hadn't known until he'd stumbled upon her species in a magical creature book. They were recorded to grow up to fifty feet. But no one exactly knew when a Titanoboa stopped growing, or how big they could actually get due to the fact that once bonded, like Harry and Ebony were, they died when their human bonded died.

However, fifty feet was the recorded length of Sacaious Slytherin's Titanoboa; Sacaious bonded with his familiar at age seven. Both snake and man died when the Slytherin descendant was around one hundred and twenty. It was mentioned in the magical creature text that they may grow bigger than fifty feet; a wild Titanoboa has never been found above the length of twenty feet.

Why that was the Magi-zoologists didn't know but they speculated it was due to the larger Boas escaping deep into the tropical jungles they were native to. These tropical jungles were dangerous and deadly. Few went far into them and even fewer escaped with their lives. Maybe Harry could bring Ebony with him to Borneo when he graduated and explore the forests there? It would be fascinating to meet a Titanoboa that was fifty feet long.

Harry was glad that Ebony never bonded with her former owner. Once bonded a Titan couldn't bond again and any prolonged seperation between the wizard and Titanoboa would cause the snake to slowly wither and die. Ebony was convinced the man who owned her previously didn't know exactly what kind of snake she was.

The large black snake actually hadn't known exactly what kind of snake she was either. The shop in Knockturn Alley had her marked as a Reticulated Python; which was obviously wrong. Titanoboa were much larger than a Reticulated Python but Harry guessed you could make the mistake easily when they were smaller.

Also, Titanoboa were magical creatures where Reticulated Pythons were not. Ebony could shrink herself if she chose to but she didn't like to unless it was for a good reason. She obliged to make herself smaller so she could go visit Diagon Alley, and attend Hogwarts, with Harry; she couldn't survive her bonded being so far apart from her.

A soft scaly nose bopping his made Harry look down and almost go cross-eyed when he saw his snake staring at him; _"Master, are you alright?" _Harry snorted lightly; _"I'm alright Ebony just a bit overwhelmed by all the people and the noise. And I'll be meeting new people and I hope it goes alright."_

If a snake could sniff in disdain Ebony would be doing it right now. In a haughty hiss she replied; _"Why are you worried if these other humans like you? Of course they'll like you! You're you and my bonded."_ Harry chuckled; leave it to Ebony to think in such a simple view. To her Harry was the best thing in this world. Anyone who didn't like him was considered dim and not worth knowing.

Severus squeezed his shoulder, making Harry turn toward his him and Lucius. The onyx eyed man looked at him with such care in his dark eyes, even if his face was blank; "Harry, I want you to be safe and behave when I'm not around. Any rule breaking and I will know about it."

The younger raven nodded and moved forward to hug his dad. Harry hugged his dad for a minute or two and after one more squeeze he pulled away. The eleven year old looked up at the man who'd taken him in and made Harry his own; "I will. I'll stay out of trouble if I can help it and if anything bad or weird happens I'll tell you. I love you, dad." Severus' thin lips stretched into a smile; "And I love you, my son."

Harry smiled and pulled away from his dad and exchanged places with Draco; all four of them ignoring the people around them, who were watching his family with great interest. Didn't these humans have anything better to do than eavesdrop on his family? Merlin! How annoying could you get? Pushing his irritated thoughts away he move in to hug Lucius and smiled against the older man's robes when he received two awkward pats on the back from the Malfoy Lord.

He knew Lucius didn't like being affectionate in public; he had not been raised that way but with his boys he dealt with his discomfort, for the most part. Once he'd hugged his papa he stepped away and looked up into the Malfoy Lord's grey eyes; "I'll see you next weekend won't I?" Lucius smirked; "Miss me already do you?"

Harry chuckled; "Nope, but I know Draco will so I had to ask." The elder blonde just cocked an eyebrow, practically radiating amusement and knowing full well Harry would miss him almost as much as Draco would. They were an incredibly close family after all. But Lucius didn't call the Harry on his bravado; "Of course, I'll count on you to reassure Draco if he is to become homesick."

The young raven nodded, giving Lucius an almost Malfoy like smirk; "Of course, papa, I'll make sure Draco's alright until we see you again." A small chuckled left the blonde; "Alright you little imp get on the train and behave yourself for once." Harry nodded, a mischievous grin on his face; "I always behave. Besides it's not against the rules unless you get caught, right?"

Lucius almost looked like he wanted to roll his eyes after Harry was done talking. The emerald eyed teen sniggered, wondering what Lucius expected. He'd been raised by two ultimate Slytherins; rules weren't so much rules as guidelines and nothing was against the guidelines unless you got caught. Done bidding his papa goodbye he moved to stand beside Draco.

The two boys gave their fathers one more smile before they boarded the Hogwarts Express and found a compartment for themselves. They'd arrived a bit early so they had their pick of compartments. Harry selected one in the middle of the train as the first few compartments were reserved for Prefects and the end of the train was already filling up with older students.

Once inside the compartment they stowed their trunks, which were spelled with Feather-light Charms, into the luggage racks above their heads and sat down. The two of them just sat there and soaked up the atmosphere surrounding them. It was so hard to believe that they were finally here!

However, after a few minutes of sitting there, looking like wide-eyed idiots, they decided to do something productive and pulled their reading material out of their pockets. Harry was reading a small book on Charms; which he found fascinating while Draco was perusing a Potions magazine.

They read for a while and only stopped when they noticed that the train began to move slowly out of the station. Both boys glanced around and then went back to their books. The sound of their compartment door opening brought Draco and Harry's attention to the door. A tall, golden blonde haired, boy stepped in, looking a bit nervous; "May I sit here?"

Harry smiled and waved his hand to indicate the free seats across from him and his sibling; "By all means come in and have a seat. I'm Harry Potter-Snape and this is Draco Malfoy." The blonde's eyes widened for a second before his face smoothed out; Harry knew the boy must be a pure-blood. No one except a pure-blooded child could smooth their facial features into that type of mask so quickly.

The boy gave him and Draco a nod; "I'm Theodore Malcolm Nott and it is a pleasure to make both of your acquaintance." Harry and Draco nodded politely and went back to their books. Ebony hisses in indignation at not being introduced which made Nott jump and look around. Harry chuckled; "Calm down, Nott, it's just Ebony. She's my familiar."

After he finished calming his new acquaintance he moved his hair out of the way and exposed the sight of Ebony's head poking out of his collar. Theodore looked a bit afraid but calmed himself down. The emerald eyed child admired Nott's ability to remain calm and not make a scene. With a smile at the new boy Harry went back to his book but not before he nudged an amusedly smirking Draco.

Together both siblings went back to their reading, leaving Theodore to his own devices. Apparently, Nott noticed there wasn't going to be any further conversation and fetched a book from his trunk which he'd stored in the free rack above his head when he'd entered.

Harry lifted his eyes and studied the newly arrived boy covertly. He remembered Severus detailing the names of people he would have in his year; Theodore Nott was the only son of Theodred Nott and the Heir to the House of Nott. Theodred was a follower of Voldemort but was not happy with the Dark Lord. Before You-Know-Who fell he murdered Theodore's mother in a fit of rage when she'd not performed her mission correctly.

Severus thought the Nott heir to be a safe choice in friend. The boy was from a Death Eater family but Theodred probably wasn't all to fond of his Lord at the moment. It wasn't an ideal situation but unless you were making friends with a muggle-born everyone generally had an allegiance.

The trick was finding those people whose allegiance wasn't absolute; Theo, and his dad, probably despised the Dark Lord for killing their mother and wife. By that conclusion they wouldn't turn traitor on Harry and sell him out at the drop of a hat. Well that was the hope anyway.

Also, Death Eater children were better than the kids of Dumbledore's supporters. The Dark Lord was gone and in no position to mess with Harry. Dumbledore, on the other hand, was very much alive and in a prime position to meddle with Harry's life. He'd take the Death Eater's children over Dumbledore's followers' spawn any day.

Harry wasn't a fan of Dumbledore; the man left him on a bloody doorstep for Merlin's sake! But he would be cordial to the old coot until he did something to raise Harry's hackles. Besides how often would he actually be associating with the Headmaster? He was first year! What would a man like Dumbledore want with him?

With a roll of his eyes he chastised himself to stop thinking of things that were of no consequence to him at the moment. Sometimes Harry thought he thought too much on things. With a small huff of exasperation directed at himself he refocused on his Charms book and began to read again.

They still had a ways to go before they reached the castle and the raven haired eleven year old wanted to finish this book before he got there. It never hurt to learn more about the subjects he'd be studying over the seven years he was at Hogwarts.

_**Alright, our boys have gone to Hogwarts! Next chapter the sorting and settling in with a few time skips thrown in. Also, our dear Dark Lord will drop in for bit.**_

_**Below is some fun information on the Comet 140; just in case anyone wants to read it. I chose this broom since it is one of the slowest brooms I could find. Harry Wiki is a great thing!**_

_**All Mistakes Are My Own!**_

**Comet 140**

The **Comet 140** is a broomstick produced by the Comet Trading Company, and was released in 1929. It was designated the Comet 140 because it was the 140th model they had tested before its release. It was the first broom to incorporate the Horton-Keitch Braking Charm, which would mean Quidditch players would be less likely to stray offside or overshoot the goals. It quickly became the broom of choice for many British and Irish Quidditch teams.

**Comet 140**

**Broomstick information**

Producer

Comet Trading Company

Made

1929

Usage

Quidditch playing

Special Features

Included the Horton-Keitch Braking Charm

Speed

Up to 52 miles per hour


	7. Chapter 7

_Author: HatefulRodeo_

_Story: Of Unexpected Deliveries and Doorsteps_

_Notes: Hello Lovelies! So someone asked me why Severus and Lucius don't get married. Here's why; too much attention would be given if Lucius got married again especially after a public divorce. Severus is slightly paranoid about anyone finding out about his adoption of Harry; don't know if anyone picked up on that so anything that brought more attention to him or his family was out of the question. I may address this later but for now things are what they are. _

_Also, don't ask me what's going to happen later on in the story; it's annoying and ruins the fic, in my opinion. Also, I don't like to detail what may happen only for it to change later due to unexpected bouts of inspiration. Be patient and all will be explained or addressed at some point. I'm weaving a plot here people so sit back and enjoy. _

_Oh! One last thing... I'm not pulling any punches when it comes to Dumbledore or Voldemort. I don't consider it bashing as it's my interpretation on their actions in Canon; when I use events that happened in Canon anyway. Thanks to all that reviewed, fav'd and followed! Apologies for the long A/N!_

_**Parseltongue looks like **__"This"!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I will make no money from the posting of this story._

_Previously:_

_Severus thought the Nott heir to be a safe choice in friend. The boy was from a Death Eater family but Theodred probably wasn't all too fond of his Lord at the moment. It wasn't an ideal situation but unless you were making friends with a muggle-born everyone generally had an allegiance. _

_The trick was finding those people whose allegiance wasn't absolute; Theo, and his dad, probably despised the Dark Lord for killing their mother and wife. By that conclusion they wouldn't turn traitor on Harry and sell him out at the drop of a hat. Well that was the hope anyway._

_Also, Death Eater children were better than the kids of Dumbledore's supporters. The Dark Lord was gone and in no position to mess with Harry. Dumbledore, on the other hand, was very much alive and in a prime position to meddle with Harry's life. He'd take the Death Eater's children over Dumbledore's followers' spawn any day._

_Harry wasn't a fan of Dumbledore; the man left him on a bloody doorstep for Merlin's sake! But he would be cordial to the old coot until he did something to raise Harry's hackles. Besides how often would he actually be associating with the Headmaster? He was first year! What would a man like Dumbledore want with him?_

_With a roll of his eyes he chastised himself to stop thinking of things that were of no consequence to him at the moment. Sometimes Harry thought he thought too much on things. With a small huff of exasperation directed at himself he refocused on his Charms book and began to read again. _

_They still had a ways to go before they reached the castle and the raven haired eleven year old wanted to finish this book before he got there. It never hurt to learn more about the subjects he'd be studying over the seven years he was at Hogwarts._

_**~*~*~*Chapter 7*~*~*~**_

The three boys sat quietly reading until an elderly witch pushed open their compartment door to ask if they wanted anything to eat. Harry being a normal eleven year old jumped at the chance to gorge on candy and sweets, as did his two companions. Once the witch left they sat there and began to consume an immense amount of candy as only a kid could.

The interruption of the food trolley, and consumption of sweets, broke the quiet mood in their compartment and the three boys began to talk about Hogwarts and what house they believed they would be in. Draco, of course, remarked that he would be in Slytherin without a doubt as that was where all Malfoys went. Nott added he would, most likely, also go to the snake house but he wouldn't mind Ravenclaw either.

When Draco and Theodore turned to Harry he smirked and spoke; "Oh, I do believe I'll be joining you two in Slytherin. I think I'd do nicely there." Draco smirked back, looking pleased that his brother wanted to join him in the house of silver and green. Nott looked taken aback by Harry's words and the emerald eyed teen watched as the tall boy steeled himself and decided to address the elephant in the compartment.

"Potter," Here Harry cut him off; "Actually, Nott, remember it's Potter-Snape but you can just call me Snape." The tall blonde nodded and continued talking; "Alright, Snape then, how is it you're talking to Malfoy like you're old friends? I mean you're the boy-who-lived; shouldn't you despise Malfoy and want to be in Gryffindor like you parents?"

Harry bit back the irritation he felt when Theodore called him the boy-who-lived and responded in a calm voice; "I'm talking to Draco because we were raised together. His father and my dad are close so it stands to reason that we would be close as well."

"Also, I am going to the house my parent is from; Severus Snape was a Slytherin so it also stands to reason that I would follow tradition and join Slytherin house." Draco nodded in Harry's direction, a satisfied grin on his face which let Harry know that he handled the situation with Theodore Nott well. Both their fathers had commented that they shouldn't divulge the exact nature of Lucius and Severus' relationship.

They could only explain that the Potions Master and the Malfoy Lord were close. Some people knew of the romantic relationship between his dad and Lucius but it was not widely known or spoken about as no one wanted to bring down upon them the combined wrath of the Malfoy Lord and Severus Snape.

Theodore was silent for a few moments, apparently gathering his thoughts; "So, Snape raised you then?" Harry nodded; "He did, formally adopted me if you must know." The Nott heir dipped his head in acknowledgement; "Well then I look forward to spending time with both of you during our years at Hogwarts." Draco and Harry both murmured their agreement to Theodore's words.

The emerald eyed boy was looking forward to knowing Theodore Nott; the other boy appeared intelligent but not arrogant. He was also quiet, something Harry quite liked in his friends. Merlin knew that sometimes Draco couldn't seem to be quiet so it was a nice change of pace to spend time with someone who enjoyed the silence and didn't feel the need to fill to always fill it with words.

The conversation continued and they discussed the classes they would be taking, which they were looking forward to and where they thought they would do the best. The raven haired child answered that he was looking forward to Potions, Charms, and Defense since he seemed to excel at them. Draco offered that he was also looking forward to Potions, Charms, and Herbology since plants played such a huge role on Potion making.

Theodore was also looking forward to Defense, Charms, but he was interested in Transfiguration. Transfiguration was something that came easily to Harry but it wasn't his favorite thing to practice; he found it tedious. Why did he need to know how to change a tea cozy into a mouse? When in his life would this be needed?

Ebony decided at that point to fully slither out from under Harry's shirt and moved to lie on the cushioned seat next to her bonded. Nott became tense when he saw the black snake again and watched the serpent with unease visible in his blue eyes. The raven haired boy chuckled; "She won't hurt you Nott. The only time you're in danger from her is if you try to hurt me or Draco."

The tall blonde gulped and nodded. In a somewhat wobbly voice he asked; "What kind of snake is she?" Ebony as if sensing the conversation was about her raised her pretty head and looked directly at Theodore, much to the blue eyed blonde's consternation. Harry chuckled again, looked at his familiar and hissed; _"Ebony, be sweet to Theodore; he's going to be my friend."_ She nodded her scaly head and resettled herself on the seat.

Harry glanced back at Theodore and almost laughed out loud at the look of shock and awe on the other's face. Draco didn't seem to be able to contain himself and snickered at the Nott heir's facial expression. The platinum blonde's laughter appeared to snap Theodore back into his right mind and he cleared his throat; "You're a Parselmouth?"

Harry cocked an eyebrow, looking oddly reminiscent of a certain Potions Master; "Is that an issue?" Nott shook his head; "Of course not. I think it's wicked. I was just a bit surprised is all. Not many would think Harry Potter would be able to talk to snakes. But then again not many know that Harry Potter was raised by a Slytherin and is now a Snape; according to my father Severus Snape is as Slytherin as they come."

Harry smirked; "Indeed, but I think we should keep that bit quiet for right now. I'm looking forward to seeing the looks of shock on everyone's faces when they call my name to be sorted." Here the three boys snickered; Harry stopped and answered Theodore's initial question; "My snake's a Titanoboa and like I said before her name's Ebony."

It seemed today was the day for the Nott heir to be shocked; "A Titanoboa! Snape; they grow to be at least fifty feet in length! And they can possibly grow bigger. That's amazing. How old is she? She can't be that old to only be so small." Harry shrugged; "She's shrunk down to a more manageable size right now. She's actually about ten feet in length and from what she can tell me she's around fifteen year's old."

"You shouldn't worry too much about how big she'll get. They grow as their bonded does; the stronger I get magically and physically the bigger she'll get but that had its limits. We only bonded a few weeks ago so she hasn't had a chance to have a growth spurt. Once I hit seventeen she'll stop growing in massive bursts."

"Then it may be a few inches a year; she'll grow like she did before I bonded with her. From the books I've read she'll be about twenty-five feet in length when I turn seventeen, maybe a bit smaller or bigger."

Theodore nodded and was now looking at Ebony with barely disguised interest; Harry saw this and scooped up Ebony, hissing for her to be sweet to the Nott heir before he placed her around the tall blonde's shoulders. The boy stiffened but relaxed when Ebony settled herself happily around his shoulders. Draco was sniggering quietly at Theodore's nervous discomfort but stopped when Harry glared at him.

The Malfoy heir huffed; "Alright, I'll stop but the look on Nott's face was priceless." Harry shook his head; "Yes, but who can forget your reaction when you first saw Ebony slither out of the woods near the house...it was amusing to say the least." Draco scowled at Harry for daring to bring that up but Theodore laughed softly. The grey eyed boy muttered; "See how you respond when a great black snake comes toward you when you're not expecting it.

Harry just laughed and moved the conversation to lighter topics. Of course, Quidditch was brought up and spoken about heatedly. Theodore, while not good on a broom personally, enjoyed following the sport and could repeat statistics and players from many of the English League teams. Harry decided this made Theodore even more desirable as a friend.

The atmosphere was friendly until two red heads that looked perfectly identical burst into their compartment and slammed the door closed. The two interlopers then fell on the floor in gales of laughter, babbling about the prank they just pulled on some unsuspecting student. The three eleven year olds looked down at the intruders in bemusement until the two cackling boys realized they were being stared at.

Together they quieted and stood back up. Both wore identical warm smiled until they saw Draco and their friendly faces turned into scowls. They glared at the Malfoy heir and for a moment Harry was confused as to why; it hit him at once. Red hair and hand-me-down robes; these boys were Weasely's.

Everyone knew the Malfoys and the Weaselys despised each other but Draco and Harry decided to be cordial toward the red headed brood. The two of them didn't want anything interfering with their schooling or getting them into unnecessary trouble. The emerald eyed teen was broken out of his thoughts by one of the red head's spitting out Draco's last name as if it were something particularly foul tasting.

His blonde brother looked at them with cold eyes but responded in a neutral voice; "Weasely's." The twin boys seemed to be confused by Draco's cool response; no doubt they were waiting for Draco to attack them and call them names. When this didn't happen the red heads didn't know what to do.

The Malfoy heir spoke before the twins could gather themselves; "Look, your family doesn't like mine and my father doesn't like yours but I have no interest in engaging in petty fights for the next few years. I'm going to Hogwarts to learn not waste my time in little squabbles with you lot." The red heads cocked their heads to the side; "Our parents said we should be on our guard around you, Malfoy. That you would be just like your father."

Draco sneered; "Yes, and I've been told your father is a pathetic excuse for a wizard who's been in the same job for the last twenty years because he's too stupid to do anything else." The older boys began to yell but were silenced when Draco held up his hand, a disarming grin on his face; "Do you see how much damage can be done when we take another person's word on how things are instead of seeing for ourselves what's really going on."

The twins looked thoughtful but answered with maniacal grins on their faces; "Well then Malfoy it's nice to meet you. I'm Fred and this in my twin George." Draco nodded respectfully before turning toward Harry and Theodore for introductions; "Fred, George, I would like to introduce you to Theodore Nott and Harry Potter-Snape."

The twins' reaction was twice as explosive as Theo's was when he heard the name Snape tacked on after the name Potter. The two red heads' eyes went wide and their mouths gaped open until Harry spoke; "You know you'll catch flies like that." After his words the twins snapped their mouths closed and proceeded to babble until they got ahold of themselves.

"Potter-Snape? How is that possible? We thought you were sent to live with family on your mum's side. Well that's what our parents said Dumbledore told them." The emerald eyed teen rolled his eyes; "Didn't we just agree how bad it can be to take another's word for things before you know what's going on? Anyway, no I was not raised by my mum's family."

"I was adopted by Severus Snape through circumstances that do not concern you. Needless to say I have taken my dad's last name and would like to addressed as such." The red heads smirked; "You know everyone's going to flip their lids when they hear your name called for the sorting." The three eleven year olds smirked with glee at the grinning red heads.

Harry nodded; "I do and ask that you don't tell anyone about my name change. It would ruin the surprise." Fred and George raised their right hands and mock swore that they would not speak a word even under threat of torture before they bid the three eleven year olds goodbye. Harry smiled at his brother and Theodore; "Well that was interesting."

The two blonde's chuckled before they felt the train begin to slow down. The three of them began to put on their plain black Hogwarts robes and ties. Theo dressed after Harry removed Ebony from her perch on the taller boy's shoulder. When they were formally sorted their robes and ties would assume the colors of their house. Harry felt excitement begin to flutter in his belly. He was so close and soon he'd be a real Hogwarts student.

As the train stopped at the station in Hogsmeade Harry resettled Ebony under his robes and his compartment mates disembarked. They followed the shouts of "First Years Over Here!" The raven haired child stopped in amazement when he saw how big the speaker of these words was; he must have been over seven feet tall! Shaking his head he followed Draco and Theodore to a fleet of small boats.

The giant of a man informed them that only four could fit in a boat; Theodore, Draco, and Harry were accompanied by a bushy haired girl with front teeth like a beaver. At first Harry was going to introduce himself cordially. However, once the girl saw the lightning bolt scar on Harry's forehead when the breeze brushed his bangs out of the way she began babbling about all she'd read about him; after that the emerald eyed boy was turned off from getting to know her.

She seemed like a know-it-all and that was something that got on Harry's last nerve. It was one thing to be smart but another to gloat about it for no obvious reason. Draco finally got a word in when the girl took a deep breath; no doubt she was gearing up to spew more fun facts that weren't even remotely true about Harry's life.

"I'm sorry but isn't polite to introduce yourself before she begin to verbally assault someone?" The girl blushed at Draco's drawled words before stuttering; "I'm Hermione Granger. It's nice to meet you all." Harry rolled his eyes; "I'm Harry Potter-Snape. This is Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott. You may refer to us by our last names; in my case Snape will so just fine."

His voice was cool, completely devoid of warmth or interest. He had no interest of being friends with someone who would only idolize him for something he couldn't even remember or worse compare him to some standard she'd come to expect after reading whatever she read that mentioned him.

Nope, he was Harry, just Harry. Theodore may have been stunned that he was friends with a Slytherin but he didn't fawn over him or ramble on about all the books he'd read about Harry. Besides Theodore's personality was great, at least in Harry's opinion; the other blonde was somewhat awkward in social situations but intelligent and appeared unafraid to speak his mind if the situation called for it.

After Harry's chilly reception Granger quieted down and the rest of the boat ride continued on in silence until they got their first glimpse of Hogwarts. It was majestic and when Harry looked at the great castle he felt the same thing he felt when he saw their house in France; he felt like he was coming home, even if he'd never been to Hogwarts before. However, he knew he would love living within the castle.

~*~*~*POV Change~*~*~*

Brown eyes tinted red watched the gaggle of first years walk into the Great Hall. They seemed so small and he vaguely wondered if he was ever that tiny when he first stepped inside these halls. It was so hard to remember anything from that far back. My how the mighty had fallen! Here he was; the once great and feared Dark Lord, now only a mere shade of his former self, attached to the back of Quirrell's fool head. But that would change soon.

He was here to attain something and once he did he would leave and begin his plans. He had given this much thought. Living as a wraith for the last decade gave you a lot of opportunity for in depth thought and he had a strategy now. The first step to begin this strategy was hidden in Hogwarts somewhere; he only had to find it.

Once he found the Sorcerer's Stone he would enact his plan; soon he would have a body again. Soon the Dark Lord would rise even better than before. A burst of murmurs brought his attention to the line of first years and his crimson tinted eyes rested on a boy of average height with raven hair and shimmering green eyes. It hit him at once who that boy was; that boy was the one responsible for his downfall.

That all too familiar murderous impulse flooded his mind but he repressed it; he'd lost enough to his madness already. He was the reason for his fall that Halloween night; Harry Potter lived and destroyed him by mere chance and unknown circumstance.

The Dark Lord would not blow this chance to resurrect himself right under Dumbledore's crooked nose by acting out toward the eleven year old. He couldn't give himself away and would have to take great pains to avoid any suspicion upon Quirrell but if he could pull of his scheme right in front of the old coot it would be the icing on the cake.

With a sigh he covertly watched the boy, absorbing everything he could from this far away. The boy looked healthy and strong but what was shocking was the fact that he was conversing happily, but quietly, with another boy who was obviously a Malfoy. The child had to be a Malfoy; only Malfoy line possessed hair of that unique shade. It appeared there was more to Harry Potter than he thought.

Nothing, however, could have prepared him for the shock he felt when McGonagall eventually called Potter's name; when had the boy become a Snape? That was worth considering. Severus Snape was once one of his most loyal followers but was he still loyal to the Dark Lord? He wasn't so sure. Why would he take in the child that caused his Lord's ruin?

Ah, that was right he cared Potter's mudblood mother. He would have to get out of the habit of using the word mudblood; it would do him no favors later on when he reintroduced himself to wizarding society.

He glanced to the side and looked at Dumbledore's reaction to Potter's new name. He physically had to stop himself from crowing in delight at the shock and anger swirling unchecked in those blue eyes. Oh yes the old codger was angry! His little savior was raised by a former Death Eater and friends with the Malfoy Lord's heir. Could it get any worse for the Headmaster? It really couldn't, could it?

He shouldn't have thought anything so soon for when the raggedly Sorting Hat touched the boy's head it and a few moments later positively screamed "Slytherin." Voldemort swore Dumbledore was about to fall out of his chair. This was the happiest he could remember feeling in over a decade. It was funny that the child who destroyed him was the source of his mirth.

He glanced over at Snape next to him and almost choked on his own spit at the look of pride shining in those generally unfathomable black eyes. Well it made sense as to why the boy was friendly with the Malfoy heir; Severus and Lucius' affair was less than a secret amongst the Death Eaters. It appeared it was still going strong, undoubtedly so now that Narcissa was gone and out of the picture for good.

He pulled his gaze from the formidable Potions Master and watched as Potter-Snape sat down in between Nott and Malfoy and began to chat animatedly with them. Well, well, it appeared he was becoming acquainted with another of his follower's spawn. He wasn't sure how faithful the elder Nott was; Voldemort had murdered his wife for no good reason. He really had made a mess of himself and his relationships with his Death Eaters.

He sighed quietly and withdrew from watching through Quirrel's eyes; he had much to consider now. Harry Potter was not what he expected. The Dark Lord had expected the boy to be as Gryffindor as they came, he expected him to scorn the Malfoy heir and take up with the Weasely family. This was not, however, what happened.

It appeared that Harry Potter-Snape would be much more open to ideas and not restricted, or blinded, by Dumbledore's Light mania. The boy-who-lived was but one part of his future plans. He had a lot to make up for and he was committed to making things right. First he needed a damn body and then he would set about collecting his Horcruxes; immortality was not worth his sanity. He'd learned that after a few years of wandering aimlessly about the forests of Albania.

He also found himself pleased that Severus, Lucius, and Theodred escaped Azkaban and continued on with their lives. From what he'd read in the Prophet Lucius was a force to be reckoned with in the Ministry. That would possibly be useful later on. And after much thought he was actually alright with his more fanatical followers being in Azkaban; they would be useless in his new schemes and plots.

The Dark Lord directed his mind from his future endeavors and focused on playing the part of stuttering, nervous, Professor Quirrel. He'd continue the charade until he found the right time to strike and steal the damnable stone. He required that stone to complete the ritual to acquire another body; he was stuck without one.

Hopefully, Dumbledore wouldn't make it too complicated for him...but then again when it came to old coot when was anything simple?

~*~*~*POV Change~*~*~*

It was amazing! Harry had never seen anything so beautiful! Looking up at the enchanted ceiling in the Great Hall was one of the best moments of his short life. Even Draco seemed to be momentarily stunned by the vast night's sky, twinkling down on them from up above. The emerald eyed child was also impressed by the complicated bit of spell work involved to create something so realistic.

His blonde brother nudged him, murmuring that he should pay attention. Draco's interference brought Harry's wandering attention back to the matter at hand; being sorted into their houses. He smiled and muttered his thanks to the grey eyed boy and watched the sorting.

Sorting the first years was a long process. Every single new student was called individually to put on a mangy old hat that sang a ridiculous song when it was first brought out by McGonagall. The hat was also known as the Hogwarts Sorting Hat. However, this delay allowed Harry more time to survey his surroundings and the people in the room.

He first focused on his dad, smiling a small smile toward the man who loved and raised him. He felt warmed by the happiness he saw in his dad's dark eyes; he only hoped he would make his dad proud of him during his tenure as a student. He then moved his gaze to the very nervous looking man with a turban on his head sitting next to his dad but was disrupted in his perusal when he felt the weight of someone's gaze on him.

Curious, he shifted his green eyes until he made eye contact with the esteemed Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. The man was aged, incredibly so, but Harry knew not to judge a book by its cover. This was the man who defeated Grindelwald and struck fear into the Dark Lord Voldemort's heart. Dumbledore may be an old codger but only a fool would underestimate him.

His thoughts screeched to a halt when he felt a weird feeling of pressure on his mind and his thoughts began swirling to the surface. Harry gasped quietly, immediately knowing what the Headmaster was trying to do. He'd read about the feeling a person experienced when someone was trying to perform Legillimency on them. Summoning his strength he wretched his eyes from the Headmaster's.

Glaring at the ground, Harry tried to collect himself. When he felt under control again he no longer felt the happiness of a few moments ago. No, now he felt angry and violated; how could that man attempt something like Legillimency on a student? How many others had he mind raped? Harry was surely telling his dad about this; his and Draco's Occlumency lessons were needed even more now.

His brother's name being called brought Harry's eyes back onto the stool and the Sorting Hat. It was amusing to watch Draco being sorted, as soon as the hat touched his blonde head it was bellowing "Slytherin." Harry clapped with the rest, smiling at his dearest friend and brother; Lucius would be beaming with pride when he found out his heir was placed in his former house.

Harry glanced at his dad and noticed the man was looking at him in concern. The raven haired boy smiled back, letting his father know he was alright for now. An imperceptible nod was given by Severus before the older man went back to watching the sorting. Soon Theodore's name was called and the tall blonde took his place on the stool and under the hat.

It took a bit longer for the Nott heir to be sorted but in the end it was Slytherin that Nott went to. Harry knew his turn was coming soon. Not five minutes later McGonagall called his name and almost seemed to drop from shock when she realized that Potter wasn't the only last name Harry was carrying now.

Immensely pleased with McGonagall's and the rest of the assembled room's response the emerald eyed eleven year old smirked and sauntered to the stool, sat down, and slapped the hat on his head. The hat was large and slumped over his eyes slightly; Harry was wondering what would happen when a voice sounded in his head.

"Ah, I have waited a long time to meet you, Mr. Potter. Or should I say Potter-Snape? Anyway where to put you? You are loyal but only to those you care for so Hufflepuff is out. You are intelligent but you know there is more to life than books so Ravenclaw is not for you. Bravery, yes you have it, but only as last resort when confrontation is unavoidable. A Gryffindor you are not."

"So where to put you...I see courage, intelligence, and loyalty but these are eclipsed by your desire to prove yourself worthy. Yes, yes, Slytherin would fit you nicely, Mr. Potter-Snape. Good luck child you will need it." Harry felt the odd presence leave his mind and smirked in triumph when the hat screamed "SLYTHERIN!"

He shot off the stool, gave the old hat back to McGonagall, and made his way over to the green and silver table. Quite enjoying the looks of shock on everyone's faces; not only was Harry Snape's child he was also a Slytherin. As he sat down he caught the eye of a red head who was still standing to be sorted; the boy, who was obviously a Weasely, was glaring at Harry as if he wanted to set him on fire.

Well that was the red head's issue and Harry really didn't care what his problem was. He took the open place in between his brother and Theodore; the three of them chatted lowly as they watched the remaining kids being sorted into their house. He glanced over at his dad again and almost preened at the pride that was shining in his father's eyes. Without a doubt Slytherin was the best house for him and to hell with anyone who thought otherwise.

The Weasely twins seemed to find the whole situation hilarious and gave Harry twin smirks of amusement before resuming their conversations at the Gryffindor table. Ebony, who'd been oddly silent peeked out to survey the Great Hall; _"Master, this place is wonderful, so much magic. But I'm hungry."_ Harry snorted, leave it to his familiar to discount the magnificent surroundings in favor of food.

In silent amusement he glanced down at his serpent's head, speaking in a low hiss that only Theodore and Draco would hear; _"Soon, lovely. You'll get food soon."_ Ebony nodded regally and slipped back inside Harry's robes, content to wait for her meal. The emerald eyed teen knew his familiar could hunt for her own food while they were in the castle, no doubt Hogwarts had a nice supply of creepy crawlies for Ebony to feast on, but for right now he decided she deserved a reward for being so well behaved.

Harry realized he'd missed the old man's welcoming speech when the food appeared on the table in front of him. The emerald eyed by shrugged slightly, if what Dumbledore had to say was really important he'd hear about it at some point, and snuck a piece of rare steak to his familiar, chuckling when she hissed in pleasure as she swallowed the chuck of meat. This process continued until they were both full and sleepy; it truly was a long day and tomorrow would be just as eventful. He also needed to get to his dad's office and tell him about Dumbledore's attempt to use Legillimency on him.

But for right now it was time to rest. He rose with the rest of the first years and followed their house prefects to the Slytherin Common Room. It appeared their house resided within the dungeons. The raven found the atmosphere oddly soothing and safe. Harry couldn't imagine many non-Slytherin students venturing this far into the underground labyrinth of hallways and corridors.

This pleased him as he would be allowed some sort of privacy and not have to worry about rabid fans who wanted to talk to the boy-who-lived. With a yawn he followed the rest of the first years into the Common Room. There they were told the password to enter was Belladonna; leave it to his dad to select a potions ingredient as the password.

The first years were also informed that Professor Snape would be by tomorrow morning at seven to speak to them about the rules and expectations that came with being a Slytherin. Harry merely nodded politely to the male prefect, Calmon Harry believed his name was, and made his way up toward their dorm, following the older boy's directions.

It was a happy, tired, boy who fell into his soft four-poster green and silver bed that night after he washed up and changed for bed. Harry couldn't wait for what tomorrow would bring!

~*~*~*POV Change~*~*~*

Dumbledore was nervous, no anxious would be a better description for what he was feeling at the moment. First the boy looked away before he could search his mind further; the Headmaster wanted to know if his plan had bared fruit. He'd left the boy with Petunia for a reason; the assumed benevolent Light Lord needed an unsure child, clamoring for acceptance and approval when they stepped into Hogwarts.

What he saw now disturbed him. Harry was standing there in the middle of the Great Hall looking as confident as could be. To make matters worse he seemed quite chummy with the Malfoy heir; how had that happened? Surely Harry wouldn't want to associate with someone as obnoxious as he believed the Malfoy child to be? Lucius was an arrogant man surely he'd raised an arrogant child.

Maybe he should have checked up on Harry over the years, just to make sure the boy was being raised to his satisfaction. The Headmaster just assumed the boy was fine; none of his gadgets attuned to Harry's overall wellbeing had gone off, alerting him that a serious injury had befallen the boy. He knew it was wrong to leave the boy in a home where he would be neglected and trodden upon but it was for the greater good, after all. Sacrifices must be made in order for them to conquer Voldemort once and for all.

But now he was feeling unsure about Harry. He had hoped that through Legillimency he would be able to sooth his doubts but to no avail. Now he would have to hope that the child would be sent to Gryffindor, like his parents. In the lion house, and under Dumbledore's tutelage, Harry would be guided in the right direction. Within Gryffindor the Potter boy would learn to sacrifice himself for his fellows and become the hero their world needed.

Dumbledore sat on the edge of his seat when Harry's name was about to be called. He maintained an air of detached interest but his posture betrayed him and anyone could see how much interest the aged Headmaster had in the boy-who-lived's sorting. The aged man almost had a stroke from anger and shock when Harry's name was called; Snape?! When had Harry become Severus' child? This changed everything!

No, he would not be getting his pliable savior now. No, he would be getting a well raised child. A child who was brought up by Severus Snape; a formidable man known for his intelligent as well as his cunning. Severus would not raise a fool! However, Severus' hasty departure from his teaching post all those years ago made sense. He'd left to raise Harry. Petunia must have sought the Potions Master out; it was the only thing that made sense.

Godric and Merlin! He knew he should have set those Blood Wards but he hadn't seen he point all those years ago; the wards he set around Petunia's home would hold against most magical attacks, giving Harry and his family enough protection until he could arrive with backup. If he would have set those wards he would have known within days that Harry was not with the Dursley family and given him the chance to track the boy down.

Also, there was the question of how Voldemort would react when he found out one of allegedly loyal Death Eaters adopted the baby who vanquished him. Dumbledore would wager that Tom would not take it well but he would not mention this to Severus, not yet and maybe he would never bring it up with the Potions Master. He, however, would use this concern to his advantage. If Tom returned, which Dumbledore believed he would, he may be able to bring his concern about the boy's safety to the attention of the Wizengamot and have Severus' custody of Harry rescinded.

The idea had merit but for right now he would put it on the back burner as the muggles say. Things were not going well at the moment but all had not been lost. The boy still needed to be sorted and the blood in that boy's veins was Gryffindor gold and crimson; Dumbledore would wager all his galleons on it. Unfortunately, the aged man was wrong, terribly wrong; Harry Potter-Snape went to Slytherin, much to the awe of everyone, and disgust of some, within the Great Hall.

Dumbledore's plans were shot to hell and back in no less than half an hour. The aged man tamped down his ire through Occlumency and regained his composure to clap for Harry being sorted into the snake house. He pushed any thoughts of Harry, Voldemort, and his future schemes out of his head for now; he would have plenty of time to contemplate things tonight in his office.

At least the Sorcerer's Stone was in place for Harry to find; it would be a good test to see where the boy was in terms of strength. With a silent sigh he stood to give his speech once the last first year, Blaise Zabini, became a Slytherin.

"Welcome, welcome, to another year at Hogwarts." And with those words Harry Potter's first of seven years at Hogwarts was underway.

_**Well Harry has been sorted! Our dearest Dark Lord has made his cameo and Dumbledore is doing what Dumbledore does...I know there was a few POV changes but I wanted you readers to get a sense of what's going on with everyone at this time. **_

_**This fic will not be conventional in the sense that Harry will be Light or Dark; he'll be a nice mix. Updates may be sporadic, however. I had to put my dog to sleep this past Sunday so I'm kind of feeling down so my muse is being bitchy but she popped up to give me this chapter. More to come soon!**_

_**All Mistakes Are My Own!**_


	8. Chapter 8

_Author: HatefulRodeo_

_Story: Of Unexpected Deliveries and Doorsteps_

_Notes: Hola Lovelies! Alright, Severus' then Harry's POV. This chapter has some plot but is mostly filler/background but it had to happen so enjoy and I'll update again as soon as I have the time to. Real life is crazy and I am related to insane people who tend to show up unexpectedly on your doorstep. Oh well such is life! Enjoy the chapter!_

_**Parseltongue looks like **__"This"!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I will make no money from the posting of this story._

_Previously:_

_The idea had merit but for right now he would put it on the back burner as the muggles say. Things were not going well at the moment but all had not been lost. The boy still needed to be sorted and the blood in that boy's veins was Gryffindor gold and crimson; Dumbledore would wager all his galleons on it. Unfortunately, the aged man was wrong, terribly wrong; Harry Potter-Snape went to Slytherin, much to the awe of everyone, and disgust of some, within the Great Hall._

_Dumbledore's plans were shot to hell and back in no less than half an hour. The aged man tamped down his ire through Occlumency and regained his composure to clap for Harry being sorted into the snake house. He pushed any thoughts of Harry, Voldemort, and his future schemes out of his head for now; he would have plenty of time to contemplate things tonight in his office._

_At least the Sorcerer's Stone was in place for Harry to find; it would be a good test to see where the boy was in terms of strength. With a silent sigh he stood to give his speech once the last first year, Blaise Zabini, became a Slytherin._

_"Welcome, welcome, to another year at Hogwarts." And with those words Harry Potter's first of seven years at Hogwarts was underway._

_**~*~*~*Chapter 8*~*~*~**_

Severus swiftly left the Great Hall, relying on the Slytherin Prefects to get the first years to the dorms and settled in. He'd speak to the eleven year olds tomorrow when they would be able to focus on what he had to say to them. The first years were always too excitable on the first night to remember his beginning of the year advisements and what he had to say was important and set the tone for the rest of their seven years at Hogwarts.

He also wanted to get to his quarters so he could fill Lucius in on where their boys were sorted. The blonde Lord would be ecstatic that his heir and surrogate son were in Slytherin; Severus was pleased as well. With the two of them in Slytherin the Potions Professor could keep a better watch over them seeing as he was their Head of House.

But something was rankling him, something he would need to sort out with his son tomorrow. Why had Harry looked so upset while he was waiting to be sorted? What happened to make him go from shining happiness to barely bridled indignant fury? Severus could only think of one person who could upset his child so much; Dumbledore. Though what the old man could have done was debatable.

The raven haired wizard pushed those thoughts out of his mind for now. There was no reason to speculate, and stress, on what upset his son; he'd find out tomorrow morning. When he reached the portrait guarding his rooms he muttered the password lowly and swept inside his rooms, smiling when he saw Lucius lying down on his sofa in front of the fire.

The blonde sat up with a look of expectation on his face which made Severus smirk at him while he stripped off his heavy black robe. Once he hung his overrode up by the door he went to sit beside his lover who by now was looking quite impatient with Severus. Chuckling, the raven spoke; "You'll be very happy you know that both out boys are now proud Slytherins. I think you should see the Pensieve memory of Harry's sorting though. It was...entertaining to say the least."

Lucius snorted in amusement; "Entertaining, I would say hilarious if what my imagination is supplying me with is correct." Severus smirked and responded; "Indeed, but now that Harry had been reintroduced into our world again things will be different and more dangerous. People now know that he is my son; a former Death Eater adopted the Boy-Who-Lived. Lucius, what happens if the Dark Lord finds out about this?"

The Malfoy Lord wrapped an arm around Severus' shoulders, tugging the worried raven into his side; "Shhh, Severus, calm yourself. Yes, you are a Death Eater but you defected before the Dark Lord's fall and Dumbledore spoke for you. You were never charged or convicted of any Death Eater activity and the only proof of your former allegiance is your Dark Mark, which last time I checked is not illegal to have."

"Besides I doubt anyone could contest the adoption; it was perfectly legal so I don't believe there will be any means to overturn your custody of Harry. And if someone does there is always blood adoption to consider, which is legal in France where we so happen to live. If it ever looks like Harry is going to be taken from you we will go through with the blood adoption ritual. I'll even adopt the blood adopt the boy if I need to; he's basically my son as it is. Once the ritual is complete no one will be able to take our boy way from us."

Severus nodded, knowing his lover was right but it still made him nauseous to think that someone could take his son away from him. Harry, Lucius, and Draco were his life and if he lost any of them he wouldn't know what to do. He sighed heavily; there was no use getting himself into a lather over things that may or may not happen in the future.

The onyx eyed wizard turned his head so he was looking up into Lucius' gorgeous grey eyes; "What about the Dark Lord, Lucius? What happens when that madman comes back and finds out about my adopting Harry? I don't regret taking Harry in, I never will. I love that boy, both of our boys, but I worry about what the Dark Lord will do to us."

His lover looked into the flames jumping and crackling in the hearth; "Love, we don't know what the future will being for us, no one does. If the Dark Lord returns, Severus, you will not go back to him. It won't be safe and I will not lose you to the Dark Lord's madness. Dumbledore can go to hell for all I care if he has an issue with that. You sacrificed enough during the last war to make amends for your actions. You, also, adopted the son of the woman you believe you condemned to death."

"I think you've paid your debt in full, Severus. We can speculate what will happen in the future but we can never know with certainty what will occur. All we can do is prepare our boys for the worst and hope for the best. I'm confident that we can get through anything as long as we stay together." The Potions Master snuggled into his lover's side, seeking comfort and reassurance; "You think so?"

Lucius gave him his best haughty look; "Of course I do and I am a Malfoy and Malfoys are never wrong." Severus laughed lightly, happy his longtime partner was trying to cheer him up. The blonde looked into his dark eyes; "What brought this on, love?" The raven just shook his head, trying to explain his unease; "It was nothing just something happened to Harry during the sorting ceremony and it made me think of what could happen in the future."

The Malfoy Lord sighed; "Put it out of your mind, love. We'll deal with whatever comes when it comes but for right now let's enjoy our night together since I won't be seeing you again until next weekend." Severus smiled, turning his body until his chest was against Lucius' strong side and tipped his head back, pressing his lips to the other man's.

The blonde wasted no time and deepened the kiss, pressing Severus backward until the younger male was lying on the sofa with Lucius settled in between his legs, their mouths still joined. The Potions Master just let himself be swept away in the wake of his lover's passion; it felt so good to just let all his worries and fears be carried away. His older lover understood and took complete control over the kiss, swiping and twisting his tongue against Severus' while his hands wandered and explored the body below his.

Severus pulled away from his partner's mouth, gasping for breath and moaned when Lucius moved down, sucking and biting his neck in just the right way. His blonde lover always knew how to set Severus' nerves on fire, ever since they first lay together during their Hogwarts' years. Since their first time together when Severus was a fumbling, nervous, third year and Lucius was a self-assured seventh year he knew there would never be another for him. Lucius Abraxas Malfoy was his first, his last, and his everything.

A sharp nip to his collar bone made him moan and roll his hips, pressing his stiffened length into Lucius' equally rigid erection. Lucius leaned back so he could look into Severus' lust blown eyes; "Why don't we move this somewhere more comfortable? I, for one, am not as young as I once was and being fucked into a sofa doesn't appeal to me as much as it did when I was twenty."

Severus chuckled but privately agreed with his lover. The raven pushed against Lucius' still toned chest, signaling that they should get up and move to his bedroom. The blonde easily slid onto to his feet in one graceful motion; how the man was always so languid with his movements Severus would never know but it was utterly natural and just another thing that made Lucius...well Lucius.

With a sultry smirk the onyx eyed wizard clasped his love's hand and drug him into the bedroom. Severus was quite excited to fuck his blonde into the mattress but he knew the night would end too soon and tomorrow he had a group first year Slytherins to speak to; a group that included his sons. But for right now he would focus all his attention on the gorgeous man now standing with him next to the bed.

~*~*~*POV CHANGE~*~*~*

Harry was bouncing on his feet while standing in the Common Room with his year mates. His dad would be coming to speak to them soon and he really wanted to talk to him privately about what Dumbledore tried to do last night. He hadn't told Draco about it, knowing full well his blonde sibling would have flown off the handle in a rage. For all Draco tried to emulate Lucius' calm demeanor he was still eleven and prone to lose it when his loved ones were threatened or harmed.

But that was why Harry loved Draco so much. His brother in all but blood may come off as sarcastic and cool but to the emerald eyed boy he was warm, comforting, and supportive. He didn't know what his life would have been like without his brother's comforting presence and he never wanted to find out. He and Draco were in this together, always had been and if Harry had his way they always would be.

He smiled mentally and watched Draco already begin to mingle with the Slytherins in their year. It was known but unspoken that Draco was to ascend the Slytherin ranks; much like Lucius had, and take control of the serpent house. Harry, of course, would be right by his side, making sure the young blonde succeeded in his goals.

Harry on the other hand had no reason, or desire, to be at the top of the social ladder. No thank you! He enjoyed spending time with his core people; his dad, papa Luc, and Draco were his inner circle for lack of a better term. But the young raven was always looking for other friends and allies and Theodore Nott seemed to fit the bill for what he was looking for in both a friend and ally.

The Nott heir was quiet, observant, and a good conversationalist from what Harry saw. It would be great to have the tall blonde by his side during their school years and it would be even better if their relationship could extend past Hogwarts. The other boys in his year were known but unknown quantities; Blaise Zabini was from a Neutral family and seemed to stay to himself but was not rude or stand offish with Harry so he would keep the caramel skinned boy in mind for an ally.

Crabbe and Goyle came from families that supported the Dark Lord quite fervently and Lucius also said their fathers were dumb as rocks. Harry didn't know if this was true but the two boys, from what Harry observed, seemed to only sit or stand around and answered most questions with a grunt or short one-word answers. The raven wasn't sure if he would start an alliance or friendship with the two large boys but he would be cordial and friendly so he wouldn't burn bridges before he even had a chance to build them.

However, he would always have to remember that these boys were the sons of the Dark Lord's servants; servants that were still faithful according to Lucius. Theo was a safer choice as his mother was murdered by Voldemort so it was possible the boy wouldn't want anything to do with the madman. However, only time would tell. Right now he needed to focus on his studies and what Dumbledore may be up to.

Harry wouldn't lie to himself that attempt at Legilimency had shaken him a bit and set him on edge. At first he thought the Headmaster wouldn't have anything to do with him. He was, after all, a first year student with no magical education; what would the esteemed Albus Dumbledore want with him? Now he wasn't as sure as he was yesterday when he came to Hogwarts.

He would just have to remain alert and on guard where the old man was concerned. This event with the Legilimency may have been something but it could have been nothing. Harry would tell his dad and hopefully he could help the younger raven puzzle it all out. If anyone could figure it out it was his dad; the smartest man he knew with the exception of papa Luc.

The sound of silence brought his attention to the entrance way to the Common Room; Harry couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face when he saw his dad in all his black robed scowling glory. He really loved his dad but Salazar the man was intimidating as all heck when he wanted to be. Severus' deep voice resounded through the room as he began to explain how Slytherin worked.

"Welcome to Slytherin House. As some of you may know my name is Professor Severus Snape; you may call me Professor or sir, and I am your Head of House. I am, also, your Potions Professor. While you are in Slytherin you will do well to remember that outside of this Common Room we are united against the rest of the school. Many students may try to hurt or provoke you due to your being sorted into Slytherin."

"Do not show them any weakness, they will exploit it. Settle all of your issues within these walls. Also, do not go anywhere alone. It is not safe for you to be out and about with no one to cover your back. This may seem extreme but I can assure you it is necessary."

"While you are in Slytherin you will be representing this esteemed House; I will not tolerate you running about looking like a bunch of homeless Crups. Keep yourselves groomed and squared away. I also do not tolerate idiocy; if you have a problem academically speak to a Prefect and they will assist you or if they cannot help you they will direct you to someone who can."

"The password changes every month on the first and will be posted on the message board near the entrance to the Common Room. Obviously, you are not to give this password out to anyone outside of this House. If you do I will be severely disgusted and disappointed."

"As your Head of House I will be available to speak to you if you have any issues you require assistance in. Do not hesitate to come to me. I will never turn away a student in need of guidance. Now I will be handing out your schedules; when I call you name step forward and collect it. Once you have your schedule collect your needed materials and wait by the entrance. After I've handed out all your schedules I will walk with you to the Great Hall for breakfast."

Harry along with the rest of his year mates nodded and waited to be called so he could get his time table. Hopefully, he wouldn't have too many classes on the first day but whatever he ended up with he would do his best. Harry really wanted to show his family he was intelligent and competent in his abilities. It took a while for his name to called as the girls went first and his last name Potter-Snape, only Zabini's name was further down in the alphabet than his among the boys.

Once his name was called Harry walked to stand in front of his dad and retrieved his time table from Severus' hand. He glanced down and noticed he had a double period of Transfiguration with the Gryffindors and then a double period of Potions with the Gryffindors; that should be fun all around! Harry looked into his dad's dark eyes when he heard his first name called softly.

The older raven continued speaking quietly when he had the younger's attention; "I want to speak to you after Potions today; Draco as well so let him know. Once I release everyone from class stay behind so we can speak." The emerald eyed boy nodded and left to collect his books and say good bye to Ebony; his serpent would be taking the time to explore his dorm room and the wherever else she could get herself into.

Harry hoped she found a juicy rat to eat and maybe even find a few cool secrets about the school. Once his bag was packed he gave Ebony a quick caress to her scaly head and left the room, quickly making his way to the gaggle of first years waiting with his dad by the Common Room entrance. When Draco, finally, made his way over they left and made their way to the Great Hall.

His dad, or Professor Snape as he should call the man who was his dad, led them swiftly through the dungeons, murmuring little tidbits and facts about the dungeons and the quickest routes to get from one place to another. Harry was quite glad the older man did this as the dungeons were a bit maze like but the young raven knew he would be fine after a few weeks of living down there.

They came into the Entrance Hall after ten minutes of walking and swept into the Great Hall where breakfast was in full swing. Before Professor Snape released them to eat he turned and spoke; "Breakfast is from the hours of seven to ten, lunch is from eleven to two, and dinner takes place from five to eight. Plan your schedules accordingly so you at least eat two full meals a day."

With those parting words the taller raven left Harry and his classmates to sit down and eat. The emerald eyed wizard was grateful to finally eat as he was quite hungry and wanted to get a good breakfast in him before he started his first real day as a student at Hogwarts. Draco and Theo once again sat on either side of him with Blaise sitting across from Harry.

Together the four boys began to talk about their classes; what they would be like and what their Professors would be like. Occasionally, another one of his year mates would interject with a comment. Harry noticed it was only two girls that seemed to talk a lot; Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass seemed to enjoy gossip which Harry really did not like at all.

Yes, information was key but gossip was often wrong, misleading, and slanderous. Harry wanted no part of it but he would listen in on them just in case the two gossips stumbled on something of interest. The other girls; Millicent Bulstrode, Tracey Davis, and Lillian Moon were quiet. They just listened to the two other chatty girls go on and on. Pansy and Daphne appeared to be the leaders in their year amongst the girls and the young raven would have to keep that in mind for later.

Pushing the thoughts of the hierarchy in their year out of his head he put his attention to eating his breakfast which was just as delicious as dinner was last night. The House Elves truly were geniuses with food and Harry appreciated their hard work very much. Once Theo finished eating the four boys stood to make their way to their first Transfiguration class; the rest of their year mates rose with them to leave.

Together they finally found their classroom and slipped inside to take their seats near the front. Harry sat with Theo while Draco was with Blaise behind him. It pleased the raven that his blonde brother was already making connections and spreading his reach. The Zabinis may be Neutral but they were a powerful force in the business and political world. Draco would do well to ally with the dark skinned boy.

When nine o'clock hit the door to the class swung closed, signaling that it was time for the class to start. Harry glanced around, wondering where Professor McGonagall was but was broken out of his perusal by the door swinging open to admit two out of breath boys; one with red hair and the other with mousy brown. Harry assumed the red head was a Weasely, most likely Fred and George's younger brother.

The red head, who Harry believed was called Ronald, muttered in between gasps of air; "Thank Merlin we made it! Could you imagine the look on old McGonagall's face if we were late?!" Harry, and the rest of the class, were taken aback when the tabby cat on the desk jumped and morphed midair into a full grown and very displeased looking Transfiguration Professor.

The Potter-Snape watched as his Professor verbally berated the two latecomers and his mind finally went back to the fact that his teacher just shifted from a cat to a human in under three seconds. Harry was amazed and quite interested in how she did it. He knew wizards and witches with an animal form were called Animagi but Harry wanted to know how one went about becoming one?

It was probably hard work but it owuld be worth it. With the thought of one day transforming into a massive snake in mind he decided to visit the library soon to check out the books offered on Animagi before he asked McGonagall about them. But it was still pretty awesome to know that maybe one day Harry could flicker between forms like his Professor did.

Hogwarts, and magic, really was amazing and it only seemed to get better and better with every minute. Their house in France was home but Harry believed with time this ancient castle could become his home as well. With a mental grin he turned to the front of the room and listened to McGonagall as she instructed them on how one changed a Beetle into a button.

* * *

Harry had a good time in Transfiguration; he was quite good at it and he now saw the practical reason for needing to know how to shift a Beetle into a button. How else would he learn to transfigure larger things if he didn't have the basics handled? So even if he found it tedious to have to mess with Beetles it was necessary. The raven just needed to remember that he wasn't going to immediately start transfiguring rocks into tables and such.

It was hard to be patient though; he and many other children raised in magical households were leaps and bounds ahead of the muggle raised kids so they needed to slow the pace of learning to accommodate the muggle-borns. It was annoying but Harry didn't blame the kids, it wasn't their fault how they were raised.

Besides it would be stupid to be mad at the muggles who raised a magical child either. How were non-magical -people supposed to know about the magical world? How were they supposed to know about places like Diagon Alley where they could acquire information for their wizard child? Nope, Harry was irritated with the school, somewhat, and the Ministry of Magic, mostly.

Shouldn't these institutions find the muggle-borns earlier than age eleven and introduce them to, and eduacte them in, the wonders of the magical world? Harry would have been so angry and hurt to learn at age eleven that there was a whole world of magic available to him and he never knew about it due to being muggle raised.

Harry also knew this is what would have happened to him had he been raised with his birth mother's muggle family; the knowledge made him shudder. The emerald eyed boy found watching the muggle-borns struggle was painful, it truly was. Harry wanted to help them but most of them, from what he'd gathered, were in Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. The Lions and Badgers tended to shy away from Slytherins, due to either hatred or fear, maybe a combination of both.

That annoyed Harry as well. Why should he be watched with fear and suspicion simply because he was a sorted into the snake house? He was still Harry and being sorted into Slytherin didn't flip some switch in his brain from good to evil. However, making others understand that was quite a feat; especially since he was the Boy-Who-Lived.

Merlin forbid that he was sorted into Slytherin or adopted by Severus Snape! You'd think the world was ending by the reactions of some of the students in the school. Just this morning he heard several whispers and murmurs about him being Dark just because he was sorted in Salazar's noble house. Truly were people that dense? The person who Harry believed betrayed his parents was a Gryffindor. Why did the sheep never mention that Peter Pettigrew was sorted into the lion's house?

Unfortunately, that little tidbit about Pettigrew, or Black depending on who you asked was responsible for turning on his birth parents, being a Gryffindor was eschewed as unimportant and not spoken about at all. It was amusing, and sad, when you looked at the lengths people would go to keep their misconceptions and bigotry going.

Well Harry wasn't going to tolerate discrimination in any form. He would make friends with who the hell he wanted and anyone who had an issue with it could go hang for all he cared. His family supported him and believed in him so any naysayers were unimportant.

Now he just needed to get through Potions so he could talk to his dad about Dumbledore's attempt to see into his mind. But first lunch was in order as he was incredibly hungry after practicing magic for over two hours. Harry knew his magical core was getting quite the workout so far and that was one of the points of attending school. Using and controlling their magic built up their endurance and core strength in preparation for the next step of their magical growth.

The more control and strength you could achieve the greater growth you would experience. However, there were limits to how strong you could become and that depended on several factors, according to papa Luc. The biggest contributing factor was genetics and the magical strength of your parents. Harry knew his biological father was magically strong as he was a pureblood and Severus told him his biological mother was considered above average in strength for a muggle-born.

His parents' magical strength and their combined genetics would factor into the environment in which Harry was raised. And since Harry was raised in a home where he was allowed to cultivate his magic and express it with practicing simple spells with a beginner wand he would have a better chance of reaching his full potential when he finished maturing magically.

Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the muggle raised children. Even if they practiced and did well at Hogwarts the lack of practicing with their magic, even a little bit, before they turned eleven would set them back in terms of potential growth. His fathers explained it to him like this; your magical core was like a muscle and magical raised kids worked out that muscle for a year or more before coming to Hogwarts.

The muggle raised only truly started working out their magical core when they arrived at Hogwarts, leaving their cores underdeveloped and the children scrambling to catch up with the magical raised kids. There were of course exceptions to this; Harry's birth mother was above average in power since she knew what she was before Hogwarts began, thanks to Severus, and started to exert some control over her magic.

So Lily Evans came to Hogwarts with a better grasp than most muggle-borns did and that allowed her power to mature to a higher level than most non-magical raised ever did. However, Harry couldn't do anything about the unfairness of this now but he would when he graduated, got his mastery, and joined the Wizengamot. The Potter-Snape had big plans in his intelligent mind and he knew they were good plans if a little bit scattered but he had time to get his Snitches in a row.

Walking into his dad's classroom broke him out of his thoughts and he looked around the large lab with interest. This was where he would brew and study the complicated art of Potion making and he could barely wait to get started! Sure his dad allowed him and Draco to brew some potions at home but nothing too hard and Harry could not wait to make something truly challenging on his own.

The young emerald eyed wizard sat down, Theo at his side once again, and pulled out his book, cauldron, and other necessities. Once unpacked he sat quietly, chatting with Theo about what they thought they would brew that day or if they would brew at all. The Nott heir thought that they would start with something simple; like a Boil-Curing Draught but Harry hoped for something more fun like Polyjuice Potion...okay maybe not Polyjuice but a Fever Reducer would be an ample challenge for him.

With a sigh he remembered that not all the kids were as advanced as the he and Draco were. Hopefully, the others would catch on quick enough so they could move forward and brew more complicated potions. His dad's entrance into the classroom accompanied with the banging of the door slamming closed stopped all conversation.

When silence rang his dad began speaking in a low, dangerous, voice; "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making, as there is little foolish wand waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic."

"I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death—if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." Harry had to smile at his dad...er Professor's speech as it was so totally him.

But his Professor wasn't done quite yet and with a mental shake Harry tuned back in to his dad and jumped a bit when his last name was barked out; ""Potter-Snape! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry smirked a little and responded in a confident tone; "You would get a very powerful sleeping potion also known as the Draught of Living Death." The older raven nodded curtly but Harry could see the pride shining in his dad's dark eyes; "Correct, Mr. Potter-Snape, five points to Slytherin for opening your book before you came to class."

The emerald eyed boy nodded in thanks and watched his dad survey the room for his next victim, completely bypassing the bushy haired Hermione who at this point was almost standing up with her hand waving in the air. She was very obnoxious, maybe Harry should talk to her about subtly? If she didn't calm down in a week or so he would talk to her but for right now he had a lesson to pay attention to.

Severus' next victim was the red headed Ronald Weasely; who looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but there. "Weasely!" The red head looked pale and his color didn't look any better after his dad was done with his question; "Where would you look if I told you to find me a Bezoar?" The young Weasely boy looked lost and mumbled; "I don't know."

Severus glared; It is 'I don't know, Sir!" The red head nodded, fear shining in his eyes; "I don't know, sir." Professor Snape just looked at the Gryffindor in disgust before turning back to the Slytherin side of the room; "Malfoy, where would you look if I told you to find me a Bezoar?" Draco smirked in a satisfied way; "Professor, you would look in the stomach of a goat. A Bezoar is a stone that will save you from most poisons."

His dad smirked; "Very good, Mr. Malfoy, take five points to Slytherin then." With that the tall raven turned to the Gryffindor side again and called; "Longbottom!" Harry felt bad for the Longbottom boy; the poor kid was shaking with nerves and fright but his dad didn't seem to care as he flung another question at the poor lion side; "What is the difference Monkshood and Wolfsbane?"

The mousy haired boy looked terrified before a spark showed up in his watery eyes and in a quiet shaky voice he answered; "Monkshood and Wolfsbane are the same plant but are harvested at different times and they also go by the name Aconite before they are picked." Harry smiled at the shy, nervous, boy and he got a tentative, if small, smile back from the Longbottom heir.

His dad looked taken aback by Longbottom's correct answer for a moment but collected himself quickly; "Very good, Longbottom, three points to Gryffindor." The class looked at their Potions Professor as if he'd lost his mind; everyone knew Snape despised Gryffindor and didn't ever give them points if he could help it. Apparently, his dad got sick of being gawked at and snapped; "Why aren't you all writing this down!"

As one the class began scribbling down the questions and the correct answers before their volatile Professor could explode further. Harry loved watching his dad in his element and knew he would be learning a lot this year as Severus was one of the best Potions Masters in the magical world; they were all lucky to learn from him. As long as people didn't take the older man's snarky personality to heart they would be fine.

The class moved forward quickly from there. They were lectured on the composition of the Boil-Curing Draught; looks like Theo was right on what they would be brewing first, and once his dad was done speaking they were released to collect any ingredients they hadn't brought with them to class. Within ten minutes they were individually brewing, the steam rising in wisps from their cauldrons as their Professor swooped around the room supervising and offering advice in a biting voice.

Harry got lost in the motions, dicing and adding ingredients as if it was second nature and in a way it was. Draco was in very much the same mindset; you weren't raised by a Potions Master and not pick up a few things from them. An hour and half later Harry was the proud owner of a perfectly made Boil-Curing Draught but some were not so lucky. Weasely's cauldron exploded spectacularly, splattering himself and Longbottom in the wonky potion.

Harry felt bad for Longbottom who was until that point doing quite alright but after Ronald's mistake the mousy boy was sprouting rather painful looking boils and had to go to the hospital wing with Weasely to get the boils taken care of. Maybe he should ask Longbottom to sit with him in Potions; Harry wouldn't mind helping him a little. It seemed the kid just needed a bit of confidence to succeed.

Harry would also speak to his dad about laying off the shy boy. It was apparent that Longbottom knew about the subject, at least a little, as he did answer one of his dad's questions at the beginning of class so Harry thought Neville deserved the benefit of the doubt. Once Severus called time the students collected a sample of their completed brew and poured it into a vial with their name on it and placed it on the Professor's desk.

Harry motioned for Draco to stay and both boys bid their year mates goodbye. Theo smiled a small smile and told Harry he would save him a seat at dinner. The young raven nodded in thanks to his newest friend before approaching his dad who was seated behind his desk. When everyone was gone Severus waved his wand, closing the door and setting up several Privacy wards and Anti-Eavesdropping spells.

When his dad put down his wand he began to speak; "Now, Harry what was the matter with you during the Sorting last night?" The emerald eyed boy grimaced; "I'm not sure but I think Headmaster Dumbledore attempted to use Legillimency on me while I waited to be sorted."

Draco gasped in shock while Severus growled in anger and stood up to pace behind his desk; "I knew that old coot wouldn't wait long to try something! I just hoped it wouldn't come so soon!" Harry watched his dad pace and mutter many words he would not be permitted to say before he was seventeen, if at all. His blonde brother moved closer to his side and in a low voice spoke; "Are you sure, Harry? That's a serious accusation."

The young raven turned towards his sibling and met his concerned grey eyes; "I'm almost one hundred percent sure, Draco. We both read what it feels like when someone tries to use Legillimency and that was exactly what it felt like to me." The Malfoy heir nodded and responded with a reassuring smile on his face; "Well we'll just have to practice out Occlumency more than we have so we can at least pull away if Dumbledore tries that again."

Harry was about to answer when he dad snapped back into the here and now; "Draco's right Harry; we will begin your Occlumency lessons this Friday after supper. We will meet here and then go to my office. Lucius will be there so he can help teach you. Until then do not look Dumbledore in the eye and if the old man tries to get either of you to come to his office you are to find me. Neither of you, under any circumstance, will be alone with the Headmaster."

Harry and Draco nodded, not willing to argue with the man when he was like this. The young raven knew his dad was worried about him being so close to Headmaster Dumbledore; hell if Severus could have gotten away with it Harry would have gone to Durmstrang and not Hogwarts. Lucius would have sent Draco there as well since the Malfoy Lord had no love for the meddling old man.

But Harry needed to come to Hogwarts as to not set off a panic within the British wizarding world. However, Harry knew his dad and papa Luc wouldn't hesitate to pull him and Draco out of Hogwarts if Dumbledore tried anything major against Harry.

The young raven trusted his dad to keep him safe and he had Ebony and his emergency port-key so he was prepared for almost anything that arose. And if staying away from Dumbledore would keep him sage and appease his dad's worry he would do so without complaint. Severus only ever wanted Harry and Draco safe and happy; why would Harry be pigheaded and go against the man? He was eleven but he was no foolish child, running off half-cocked into dangerous situation just because he was curious. No, that would be a stupid idea and a slap in the face to his dad and Lucius.

His dad turned dark eyes onto his sons; "I want you both to promise me that you'll stay away from the third floor corridor this year." Harry was confused but Draco seemed to know what his dad was talking about; "We will, Sev. Neither I nor Harry have a death wish." The young raven looked at his sibling; "What are you talking about, Draco?" The blonde rolled his eyes and shook his head while answering; "Didn't you listen to the old coot's speech last night, Harry?"

Harry blushed lightly and answered in the negative. Draco huffed but remained silent while his dad looked to the ceiling as if he was asking for patience before he spoke; "Harry, Dumbledore mentioned that all students should stay away from the third floor corridor this year if they did not want to die a painful death. I want you both to promise me you will stay away from there."

"Harry, Draco, under no circumstance are you to go there. If something does happen regarding the third floor you will come to me and I will check it out. You two are advanced for your age but you are still untrained and unqualified to deal with what may or may not be down that corridor. Now promise me." Harry and Draco both looked into Severus' onyx eyes and promised they wouldn't go looking for trouble and would seek out their Potions Professor if something did happen.

Severus nodded when they were done speaking and smiled when he spoke next; "Well if that's all we should get down to dinner. I'm sure McGonagall has assigned some homework for you both already." Harry and Draco nodded again and followed the older wizard out of the classroom once his dad took down his wards and spells around the room. The three of them walked together to the Great Hall in silence and that suited Harry just fine.

The young boy was enjoying the feeling of having his brother and his dad next to him for a little while. He hadn't realized how much he missed being with his dad and it had only been a day! Draco was probably feeling the same way he was about being far away from Lucius but at least they had Severus close by. It must really suck for the other kids who didn't have a parent on staff.

When they entered the hall Harry took his seat next to Theo and Draco situated himself next to Blaise and they began to eat to their hearts content. For a first day it had gone well and Harry hoped they would stay that way over the course of the school year. However, he couldn't help but wonder what the heck was down the third floor corridor...well he would keep an ear out for any information about it but he wouldn't go looking for trouble; he'd promised his dad he wouldn't after all.

_**Well day one is finished for Harry and company. Our dear Dark Lord will be making an appearance in the next chapter! I'm having Harry reach out to Neville in this fic; they will not be best friends but they will be allies. It's all part of the plan!**_

_**There will be time skips in this fic as I doubt any of you, and I know I don't, want to write every second of everyday of Harry's life while at school. **_

_**Anywho, I will be using some events from Canon but I may twist them around so you've been warned!**_

_**All Mistakes Are My Own!**_


	9. Chapter 9

_Author: HatefulRodeo_

_Story: Of Unexpected Deliveries and Doorsteps_

_Notes: Hola Lovelies! Alright, we have our dear Dark Lord's POV then Harry's again. Also, I mentioned that there would only be two Horcruxes but I wanted to explain about them a bit more; there will be two but Riddle made his Diary Horcrux at twenty-one not sixteen and his second, which was the Locket, at forty. He still murdered his father's family and set his uncle up to go to Azkaban like he did in Canon but the events are just a bit later on in the timeline. So Voldemort began to lose his mind at about forty-five and by the time he was banished by Harry he was the Dark Lord we know and loath from Canon. However, when Severus and Lucius joined the Death Eaters Voldemort was mostly sane; still vicious and cruel but not towards his own people yet. Enjoy the chapter and thanks to all that reviewed, fav'd, and followed; a big thanks to those who did all three!_

_**Parseltongue looks like **__"This"!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I will make no money from the posting of this story._

_Previously:_

_Severus nodded when they were done speaking and smiled when he spoke next; "Well if that's all we should get down to dinner. I'm sure McGonagall has assigned some homework for you both already." Harry and Draco nodded again and followed the older wizard out of the classroom once his dad took down his wards and spells around the room. The three of them walked together to the Great Hall in silence and that suited Harry just fine. _

_The young boy was enjoying the feeling of having his brother and his dad next to him for a little while. He hadn't realized how much he missed being with his dad and it had only been a day! Draco was probably feeling the same way he was about being far away from Lucius but at least they had Severus close by. It must really suck for the other kids who didn't have a parent on staff._

_When they entered the hall Harry took his seat next to Theo and Draco situated himself next to Blaise and they began to eat to their hearts content. For a first day it had gone well and Harry hoped they would stay that way over the course of the school year. However, he couldn't help but wonder what the heck was down the third floor corridor...well he would keep an ear out for any information about it but he wouldn't go looking for trouble; he'd promised his dad he wouldn't after all._

_**~*~*~*Chapter 9*~*~*~**_

The Dark Lord Voldemort was pleased as could be with his plan thus far; he'd already retrieved his second Horcrux from the Room of Requirement so he was one step further in his plan to resurrect himself. Yes, he still needed to obtain his Diary and the Sorcerer's Stone but he was working on it. He would procure the Diary from Lucius after he stole the Stone. He would also have to call for Nagini through their link once he was whole again.

The Dark Lord knew he had to plan the theft of the Stone carefully since Dumbledore was watching the third floor like a damn hawk but the Dark Lord would not be deterred. He would have his victory and rise even better than before. This time around he would be sane, still malicious and ruthless but sane nonetheless. Too much had been lost to his madness already and now he would start over and rebuild his image; even if no one would know who he was anymore.

With a new name, a new look, a new strategy, and with the intelligence to learn where he went wrong the first time he would be almost unstoppable. However, he still had a few things to think on for now. One of these little riddles was Harry Potter; the boy was not what he thought he would be. The child was patient, smart, and had a certain air of confidence about him. That boy would be formidable when he got older and the Dark Lord had every intention of staying out of Harry's way for now.

His plans would have a serious detour if anyone, namely Dumbledore, got wind of what he wanted to do. No one would know it was he who stole the Stone. No one would know of his rebirth or new plans for the wizarding world; Lord Voldemort would be resigned to history and another form of Tom Riddle, Jr. would rise from obscurity to write the wrongs that were simmering under the surface of their world.

He did realize now that murdering muggle-borns and muggles wasn't the solution to their problems; where that idea even came from was beyond him but it went to his belief that he had well and truly lost his mind for a little while. He was thankful for Harry Potter for one thing and one thing only; it seemed that when he was thrown from his body and exiled to live as a wraith he was given the chance to think on things he didn't examine before that Halloween night.

He saw all the mistakes he made and it made him cringe when he thought of them. He, the Slytherin Lord, was struck low by madness and so deluded with insanity he let himself be carried away on a tide of psychosis. Now he was stable, most of the time. It was hard to keep himself on an even keel but he did try to. However, rarely he would lose his fragile grip on cohesion and become adrift in his own shattered mind.

But with Quirrell's stabilizing mind countering his madness he was able to fight the chokehold of insanity and reemerge with an even, if a bit scattered, mind. Soon the Stone would be his and then he could begin the process of living again. He vaguely wondered what he would look like; would he look like the twenty-one year old he was when he made his Diary or would he look an amalgam of his two soul pieces and his main soul melded together.

He wouldn't be against looking like he did when he made the Locket at twenty-one but he would settle for somewhere in between twenty and his true age now. Actually it would probably be better to look a bit older, more seasoned. People tended to trust an older person versus a younger one. People were less likely to look upon the newcomer as a rebel or young upstart. Yes, he would be agreeable to looking around thirty-five; a very stately and handsome thirty-five of course.

It would be pleasing to look in the mirror again and see a complete face; no missing nose and bald head to be seen. Salazar what had he done to himself? Looking back he realized he looked like a human-snake mutant and before that fateful Halloween he thought he looked impressive! Now he cringed at his prior looks and body; never again, never again would he sink that low or become that delusional.

The sound of his classroom door opening alerted him to the start of the first class of the day; the first year Slytherin and Gryffindor Defense class featuring none other than Harry Potter. The boy really was gifted in Defense and Voldemort went out of his way to encourage him; it wouldn't hurt to endear himself to the Potter-Snape even if the emerald eyed boy had no clue it was him, the feared Dark Lord, who was helping him with his Defense work.

It was a little bit amusing really. What would Harry do if he knew that his past nemesis was stuck to the back of his stuttering Defense Professor's head? The poor child would probably freak out but then he would rat him out to Severus. And he had no desire to come face to face with the Potions Master. That man was once one of his best Death Eaters; Severus Snape was deadly and efficient.

At this point in time he would not be able to stand against Snape in a duel, especially if the man was protecting his adopted son. That was another odd development; Severus Snape as a father and from what he could pick up the man was a great dad indeed. Harry was lucky to have someone to care for and look out for him like Severus did.

How much would have changed for Tom Riddle if someone attempted to see past his icy veneer? Who knows? Maybe he would have gone in a completely different direction with his life but there was no point in dwelling on things that he could not change at this point. All he could do was take his second chance with both hands and do what he should have done in the first place; work hard and not take the easy way out. HE would have to remember that Rome was not built in a day and it would take time to change the British wizarding world.

That was where he fell short before. Instead of being patient with his plans and schemes he got impatient and angry. He began to murder his opponents and strong-arming others to support him. He also started to encourage his followers, who at that time were known as the Knights of Walpurgis, to bribe people to see things their way and if they wouldn't cave under the temptation of galleons they would crumble under his or his followers', wand. Thus the Death Eaters were born.

Quirrell's mind brushing against his let him know it was time to begin the lesson. Putting thoughts of stealing the Sorcerer's Stone and his future plans out of his mind and allowed Quirrell to focus on teaching the little brats all about Defense Against the Dark Arts. Merlin this class was an utter joke; Dumbledore's doing no doubt. With the way this class was laid out the students would be hard pressed to actually live through a duel with a true, competent, Dark wizard.

The one consolation was that this was his last class of the week before Yule break; soon the school would be empty and he would attempt to steal the Stone right out from under the old Headmaster's nose. Yes, that would be quite sweet and satisfying.

He always loved getting one over on the old man and this would be a great way to thumb his nose at the old coot; once and for all he would prove himself better than that meddling fool! These thoughts pleased him immensely! Ah Dumbledore would look positively god smacked when he noticed the Stone was gone!

Quirrell shuttered slightly when his Lord's joyous thoughts rippled through their link. The Dark Lord mentally laughed when he felt Quirrell tamp down his own feelings of happiness; their link was helpful as it balanced Voldemort's unbalanced psyche but it was a pain at times. Sometimes when either of them felt very strong emotions those emotions would bleed through their connection and affect the other.

But the drawbacks of the link were outshone by the benefits; it was a real shame that Quirrell may not survive past his Master's rebirth but sacrifices had to be made and his host was aware of the risks and accepted them. There were always those who would give their lives for their Lord and this time the forfeit of life was actually going to be worth something great.

With this final thought Voldemort stopped his thoughts and let Quirrell get on with his lesson without any distractions from the parasitic Dark Lord on the back of his head.

~*~*~*POV Change~*~*~*

Harry was looking forward to Yule and getting to go home to France for a few weeks. While he got to see his dad during the week and on weekends it wasn't the same as waking up with his family and spending the day with them uninterrupted. During his break he was determined to spend as much time with his fathers as possible. Draco was of the same mind, too.

But the two siblings also wanted to explore Rue de St. Joan in Paris; it was similar to Diagon Alley but older and named after Joan of Arc, who was a true Seer during Medieval times. Severus felt it was safer for them to explore France's main magical district than England's; Harry wasn't arguing with his dad about it. He was pleased that he would be able to explore at all.

Besides most of the major magical shopping areas had the same large stores; Quality Quidditch and Zonko's to name a few. It would be great to see what Paris' market offered in comparison to London's and the raven was looking forward to what he and his sibling could find in the ancient magical market.

The only reason they'd gone to Diagon for their school supplies in the first place was because they needed to purchase wands and his fathers only trusted Ollivander to provide them. Now they didn't need wands to they were free to visit wherever they wanted to buy their magical purchases. He did need to stock up on quills, ink, and parchment before the next term started.

School was going well for him so far and he was pleased with his progress in learning magic. He and Draco were the top students in their year and both had no plan on giving up the one and two spots. Other than his academic accomplishments nothing exciting was happening and that made Harry feel relieved. He didn't desire any dangerous excitement to feel content with his life; he'd leave getting into dangerous situations to the Weasely twins and the other Gryffindors.

Speaking of Gryffindors Harry was getting quite sick of Ronald Weasely! The idiot always had a snide remark to say about Harry going dark or some such nonsense. He also tried to get the other Gryffindor boys in his year against Harry; it plan hadn;t worked well at all for Ronald, mostly thanks to Neville speaking for Harry. The twins were quite disgusted with their little brother's attitude toward Harry and went out of their way to shut Ronald up.

Harry just ignored him for the most part but it was hard sometimes; like when the idiot spouted insults about his dad but the raven wouldn't give the big moron the satisfaction of seeing him rattled. It was amusing thought when McGonagall heard Ronald say something crude about his dad and took ten points from her own House. The youngest Weasely boy was silent for quite some time after that, much to Harry's delight.

Other than the Weasely idiot most people ignored Harry once the stir of him being sorted into Slytherin passed over. Some students still whispered about him when he passed but Harry had a feeling it wasn't negative things they were saying about him. The emerald eyed wizard noticed several girls, and a few boys, staring at him and blushing whenever he looked back at them; it was quite unnerving really.

A few brave souls from higher years approached him and asked him out for a date. Harry, of course, said no; he was eleven years old for heaven's sake! Why the hell would he want to date anyone right now? He just wanted to enjoy his first year at Hogwarts and for the most part he did, during the course of the school term Harry went to class, studied, and was trained in Occlumency with his dad and papa Luc.

He and Draco were coming along in leaps and bounds in the magical art of shielding one's mind but they both still avoided Dumbledore's gaze if they could help it. Harry believed he could shield his mind until he could pull away from the old man's gaze but why take the risk and give the old Headmaster a chance to delve into his head? No, thank you!

The only bit of excitement that Harry personally witnesses, if you could call it excitement, happened when Ronald Weasely criticized Granger for being a friendless know-it-all after Charms and she slapped him in the face before running off crying. Harry didn't let her get far though; he had some advice for her if she planned on having a good time at Hogwarts.

Once the bushy haired girl stopped the emerald eyed wizard spoke to her, nicely of course, about why no one wanted to be around her. He explained that it was great to be smart but no one liked to have someone's intelligence rubbed in their face. Not to mention her constant desire to answer every question in class and hurtling her arm in the air and swinging it around like a maniac was a bit off putting as well.

Granger seemed to want to argue but he'd held up his hand and told her that he was top of their year and you didn't see him having convulsions when he wanted to answer one of the Professors' questions. Harry told her to let her brains speak for themselves; eventually others would catch onto the fact that she was indeed smart and would respect her for it.

There really wasn't the need for her to ram her knowledge down everyone's throat. At the end of their admittedly one-sided conversation Granger seemed to understand what Harry was trying to say and agreed to try and tone down her know-it-all antics. The raven assured her if she did more people would want to spend time with her, either as a study partner or as a friend.

This talk happened in their second week and since then Neville was often seen in the bright witch's company. Harry and Draco would sometimes sit with the two Gryffindors in the library to study. They were alright company and it allowed Harry to obtain information that he otherwise wouldn't have known; for example, there was a three-headed dog being hidden in a room down the third floor corridor.

The Gryffindor duo knew of the dog's existence due to the Weasely twins nosing around the forbidden corridor. That information made Harry even more grateful that he had decided against sating his curiosity about the out-of-bounds hallway. But that knowledge allowed more questions to bloom in his keen mind; why was there a giant three-headed dog being hidden down the corridor?

Or what was the dog guarding? But at the end of the day Harry figured it really wasn't his issue or problem to solve. Dumbledore was the Headmaster and it was his job to keep things and students safe within his school so why should Harry run off and play investigator/savior? Nope, he'd leave that to the adults! What could a first year do that the Professors couldn't? Not a damn thing and Harry wasn't risking his arse for anyone, or anything, but his loved ones.

With the mystery partially solved about what was down the third floor corridor Harry put it out of his mind somewhat and focused on his studies even more. Their exams had taken place the week before since most Professors knew the students were useless the last week of term before Yule. Their grades would be distributed tomorrow at breakfast before they took the Hogwarts Express to go home for holiday.

Harry expected straight O's but he'd settle for a menagerie of E's and O's; Merlin forbid he got anything less than an E! His fathers would not be pleased in the least and the raven didn't want to hear a lecture about the importance of studying and achieving good marks, etc, etc... He already knew he needed good marks to secure a good future and he truly wanted to be great when he was older so if he needed to study a bit more than a normal kid then so be it.

However, just because he studied a lot did not mean he lived a boring, fun deprived, existence. He spent a lot of time with Theo, Draco and Blaise, playing Chess or Exploding Snap, sometimes they'd walk around the grounds or watch the Slytherin Quidditch team practice if the weather was nice. He and Draco were planning on trying out for the team next year; Harry as Seeker and Draco as Chaser.

His blonde brother wasn't thrilled about playing Chaser but conceded that Harry was the more talented Seeker out of the two of them. Plus, Draco was a talented Chaser so the raven knew his sibling just needed to get over his pouting phase at being a Chaser. It did the Malfoy heir good to have to compromise and not get everything he wanted.

Salazar knew that Lucius spoiled them both but Draco's head sometimes inflated too much, causing him to be arrogant and a bit mean spirited. The blonde was getting better at acknowledging his faults and weaknesses but he was still a Malfoy and Malfoys never showed weakness; so essentially Draco had to find a decent balance for himself. He needed to identify his weaknesses and fix them before anyone could notice them and exploit them for their own gain.

Fortunately, Draco had Harry to point it out to him if he was being a righteous prat about things. Sure his brother bristled and resented it when Harry had to point out his deficiencies but he got over it. Besides it's not like Draco pulled any punches when he critiques the Harry so it was fair game for the both of them to say what each needed to work on.

A hissing noise brought Harry out of his musings and he looked down to see Ebony slithering up the chair he was sitting in. He smiled as his scaly friend settled around his shoulders, her head resting near his collar bone; _"Master, are you alright? You look dazed." _Harry stroked his familiar's smooth head and replied; _"I'm fine, Ebony, just thinking about this school year so far. How have you liked Hogwarts?" _The snake looked thoughtful, if a snake could look thoughtful, for a moment; _"I have enjoyed it. There is much to see in this place and many rats to eat."_

_"Not to mention that three-headed dog on the third floor. It's quite ferocious when it is disturbed; it almost ate two read heads a while ago." _Harry snorted in amusement; no doubt Ebony was speaking about the Weasely twins brush with the Cerberus. He wondered what else his familiar had picked up during his slithering around. _"Ebony, what else have you heard or seen over the term?"_

_"I have heard and seen a bit Master. I heard your fathers talking outside his quarters one night; I believe they were mating but I am not sure..." _Harry grimaced and said nothing while he tried to get the image of his parents having sex out of his head; YUCK! He was scarred for life and it was all thanks to his familiar. What Ebony hissed next caught his attention and Harry listened closely to his serpent.

_"The Headmaster was speaking to the giant about the break-in that occurred at Gringotts at the beginning of term. He mentioned something about a stone...I'm not quite sure what they meant by that but it sounded important. The Headmaster said it was safe and well protected on the third floor."_

Harry's brows scrunched and he looked into the Common Room's flickering fireplace, deep in thought; _"Eb, why didn't you tell me about this when you heard Hagrid and Dumbledore speaking? I would have liked to know." _Ebony hissed out what sounded like a huff before answering; _"I meant to speak to you about it but then a found a nest of baby rats and the conversation left my mind. I apologize, Master, next time I'll remember to tell you as soon as it happens."_

_"I only remembered it now because I went by the third floor and heard that three-headed mutt barking and snarling. I think it wants to get out of there." _Harry nodded and stroked his familiar's head, letting her know he wasn't angry with her and all was forgiven. She couldn't know how interested Harry would be in what she'd heard Dumbledore and Hagrid speaking about.

And what was this about keeping a stone safe and what did it have to do with the break-in at Gringotts? It sounded like the Headmaster was keeping something very valuable and very dangerous hidden inside the school. What could it be and who could possibly want it so bad that this stone had to be taken to Hogwarts?

Harry thought it may be due to Voldemort; his dad and papa Luc assured him that the Dark Lord wasn't dead so maybe he was the one the Headmaster wanted to keep the stone from? It made sense; it would take an incredibly intelligent and powerful wizard to break into Gringotts and Voldemort may be mad but he was smart and powerful as well. The Dark Lord being behind the attempted robbery at Gringotts did seem likely but of course no one would be able to prove it.

However, Harry didn't like that they would use a school to hide something from a madman! Before he thought they were just hiding something so the students wouldn't stumble on it but now that he knew they were trying to hide something from the most ruthless Dark Lord in a century Harry was angry. There were young children here, Harry among them!

Why would the old coot want to hide something from an insane murdering monster in a place full of untrained wizards and witches? It seemed ludicrous and reckless to the raven haired boy. Should he tell his dad what he knew about the three-headed dog and the stone Dumbledore was hiding at Hogwarts?

That thought brought an undignified snort out of Harry's nose; tell his dad! HIs dad probably already knew what was being hidden here at the school. And it really wasn't Harry's business anyway. The emerald eyed wizard had no desire to go face a three-headed dog and Merlin knew what else was protecting this stone just to satisfy his curiosity. He quite enjoyed his limbs where they were; thank you very much!

But his curiosity was, nonetheless, peaked just a bit by this new development. When they came back from holiday he'd ask Ebony to check out the third floor corridor and see if she could find out anything else about what was guarding the stone. Right now he should be focusing on Yule and all the fun he would be having over the next few weeks. He believed he's earned a bit of downtime after all the studying he'd done over the school term.

With a sigh he stood with Ebony still wrapped around his shoulders and went upstairs to his dorm room to pack his things. Harry wanted to be totally ready to leave tomorrow. Draco was already packing his things, neatly of course, and without a doubt he'd get on Harry for throwing his things carelessly inside his trunk.

However, Draco's obsession with order worked in the raven's favor this time. Once the blonde saw how messy Harry's trunk was he would wave Harry off and repack all of Harry's things nicely. Yup, sometimes using a little manipulation wasn't a bad thing besides he believed Draco liked packing Harry's stuff and harping on his emerald eyed brother for his messiness.

But that was just speculation and he knew Draco would never confirm it for him. Entering the first years' dorm he laid Ebony onto the bed and opened his trunk before opening his wardrobe and tossing in his shirts and pants. A hiss and a growl from behind him let him know that Draco saw what Harry was doing. With a small smile the raven turned and gave his sibling a questioning stare.

He was promptly showed out of the way and the blonde was pulling out his haphazardly packed clothes out of his trunk and laying them on the bed. Harry smiled and sat on his bed and began speaking to his year mates while Draco packed his things for him. Yup, it was shaping up to be a good Yule!

_**Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Things will begin rolling from here on out so stay tuned. Below these notes is a little bit about Joan of Arc; she is quite fascinating!**_

_**All Mistakes Are My Own!**_

_**Joan of Arc **_

_From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia._

/wiki/Wikipedia:Protection_policy_**Joan of Arc**__ (__French__: Jeanne d'Arc,__[4]__ IPA: [ʒan daʁk]; ca. 1412__[5]__ – 30 May 1431), nicknamed "__**The Maid of Orléans**__" (__French__: La Pucelle d'Orléans), is a folk heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. She was born a __peasant__ girl in what is now eastern France. Claiming divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the coronation of Charles VII of France. She was captured by the __Burgundians__, transferred to the English in exchange for money, put on trial by the pro-English Bishop of Beauvais Pierre Cauchon for charges of "insubordination and heterodoxy",__[6]__ and was burned at the stake for __heresy__ when she was 19 years old.__[7]_

_Twenty-five years after her execution, an inquisitorial court authorized by Pope Callixtus III examined the trial, pronounced her innocent, and declared her a __martyr__.__[7]__ Joan of Arc was __beatified__ in 1909 and __canonized__ in 1920. She is – along with St. Denis, St. Martin of Tours, St. Louis IX, and St. Theresa of Lisieux – one of the patron saints of France. Joan said she had received visions from God instructing her to support Charles VII and recover France from __English__ domination late in the Hundred Years' War. The uncrowned King Charles VII sent her to the siege of Orléans as part of a relief mission. She gained prominence when she overcame the dismissive attitude of veteran commanders and lifted the siege in only nine days. Several additional swift victories led to Charles VII's coronation at __Reims__._


	10. Chapter 10

_Author: HatefulRodeo_

_Story: Of Unexpected Deliveries and Doorsteps_

_Notes: Hola Lovelies! Alright, we have a few POV's in this chapter but they are pretty obvious so I won't blather on about which one is which; I have confidence you'll all figure it out. Also, there is a slight time skip but not a large one. Anyway, enjoy the latest chapter and thanks to all that reviewed, fav'd, and followed; a big thanks to those who did all three!_

_Parseltongue looks like __"This"!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I will make no money from the posting of this story._

_Previously:_

_However, Draco's obsession with order worked in the raven's favor this time. Once the blonde saw how messy Harry's trunk was he would wave Harry off and repack all of Harry's things nicely. Yup, sometimes using a little manipulation wasn't a bad thing besides he believed Draco liked packing Harry's stuff and harping on his emerald eyed brother for his messiness._

_But that was just speculation and he knew Draco would never confirm it for him. Entering the first years' dorm he laid Ebony onto the bed and opened his trunk before opening his wardrobe and tossing in his shirts and pants. A hiss and a growl from behind him let him know that Draco saw what Harry was doing. With a small smile the raven turned and gave his sibling a questioning stare._

_He was promptly showed out of the way and the blonde was pulling out his haphazardly packed clothes out of his trunk and laying them on the bed. Harry smiled and sat on his bed and began speaking to his year mates while Draco packed his things for him. Yup, it was shaping up to be a good Yule!_

**_~*~*~*Chapter 10*~*~*~_**

The feeling of excitement rippled through the Great Hall the next morning and Harry couldn't help smiling; he would be going home today! Nothing and he meant nothing could put a damper on his good mood. Life was good; he was happy, his family was healthy, and the school looked festively fantastic! The castle was decked out in in shimmering baubles filled with Fairy lights and massive Fir trees sat sentinel around the Great Hall, covered in baubles and shining lights of every color; the decorations put everyone, even his dad though you'd never know unless you knew him, in a very festive mood.

And Harry wasn't the only one getting into the Yuletide spirit; many students were laughing and smiling cheerfully, barely suppressing their excitement to go home for the holiday. The emerald eyed wizard was right there with all them; he couldn't wait for the break to officially start so he could return to France and celebrate the Winter Solstice with his family. Maybe he would try to see some of his muggle friends from primary school? He immediately scratched that plan as it would be too difficult to explain where he was attending school and where Hogwarts was. Plus, he didn't want to violate the International Statute of Secrecy by clueing the muggles in on the fact that magic did really exist.

Nope, it would be easier to just leave those stones unturned; it sucked a little since some of the muggle kids were quite nice but it was for the best. Harry wasn't part of that world anymore and he would have to get used to that. However, he would never lose touch with the goings on in the non-magical world.

So many things were invented and created by muggles and it would be a shame to lose that knowledge just because it came from non-magical people. He'd ask his dad to subscribe to one of the muggle papers while he was home from school during breaks; it never hurt to keep up with the news since what happened in the muggle world effected the magical, even if it was indirectly.

Besides maybe reading a legitimate paper would be a refreshing change from the garbage the Daily Prpophet wrote about. Truly Harry thought the world was coming to an end in early November when they printed the fact that he was a Parselmouth; the whole British wizarding world was in an uproar about it.

But the emerald eyed wizard didn't give a damn about it at all. However, whoever contacted the paper about Harry's ability was an arse who caused Harry many a headache. Why did the students, and even some of the Professors, think he was evil just because he could talk to snakes? Ebony was with him since he'd stepped foot into Hogwarts and she'd never done anything aggressive or harmful toward anyone.

Harry believed you judged someone on their actions and choices not their abilities. Sure the Dark Lord was a Parselmouth and he was as bad as they came but Harry was not Voldemort! He was himself and wanted to be judged buy his own accomplishments and on his own merits. Luckily things once again died down after a little while but he still caught some kids looking at him as if he was about to start casting Avada's like it was going out of style, which was just stupid!

He was eleven! No eleven year old no matter how skilled or powerful could cast the Avada Kedavra. Try telling those idiots that though and see where it got you. Harry learned, and it was being enforced everyday, that some people would believe what they wanted and they would never change their minds no matter what you did or said. It just annoyed him a bot that they believed the Prophet over Harry on a subject that was about Harry; how did that make sense? It didn't but whatever he would let thses thoughts bring down his happy mood.

Still smiling he sat down next to Theo at the Slytherin table and began to serve himself some eggs, toast, and bacon. He would miss the elves cooking; his dad may be able to brew a potion but his culinary skills were a bit under par. Except when it came to making breakfast and baking cookies and Merlin knew papa Luc would never deign himself low enough to pick up a pan.

Sometimes Harry wondered how they'd survived all those years in France with no House Elves cooking for them. Then again maybe they had an elf and Harry never noticed. It wasn't like he paid attention to where the food came from when he was younger; it only mattered that it got into his mouth and filled his belly.

But now that he was at Hogwarts he noticed and recognized all the things that House Elves did for them. They cooked exceptionally, cleaned and pressed his clothes, the little creatures made sure their dorm and Common Room were spotless and clean. All in all Harry would be royally screwed without them. He should find out where the Elves lived here in Hogwarts so he could thank them; he'd ask his dad where they lived over break and seek them out after Yule break.

Hopefully, one of the Malfoy family elves would be there to help out around the house in France; no matter how much Severus seemed to hate the little creatures. Okay, hate was a strong word but from what Harry saw his dad didn't like House Elves very much. Severus claimed he found them annoying with their squeaky voices and submissive attitudes. That being said his dad did like one Malfoy elf despite his shrill tone.

Harry quite liked the little creature, too. Dobby wasn't like any other elf he'd ever met before. The elf was loud but he was unafraid to speak his mind when the situation called for it. However, Dobby felt the need to punish himself whenever he found his backbone to speak up. This whole Dobby punishing himself thing didn't sit well with Harry and he'd ordered Dobby to stop it.

Why should any elf, or living being for that matter, feel afraid to speak up for themselves? It wasn't right at all and the raven wouldn't stand for it and he wouldn't allow others to treat anyone like trash just because they thought they were better. Even Draco and Lucius treated the elves with indifferent cordiality. They two blondes would never like the elves as they saw them as servants but they didn't abuse them either. Harry could live with that since it was the best he would get from the Malfoy males.

While he was thinking on the subject of food maybe Harry should look into trying to cook for his family. What could it hurt, really? He may set something on fire but he lived with two fully grown and powerful wizards; surely his fathers could put out any fires or repair any damage Harry wrought with his culinary adventures? Well at least Harry thought they could fix whatever was damaged if it came to that.

But did he want to cook during his break? No, no he really didn't. During his break he wanted to relax and enjoy himself; sleep in late and do nothing if that's what he wanted. So cooking, or attempting to, was out for the moment. One day he'd pick up a pan and pot and cook but for right now he would just enjoy his last delicious meal in the Great Hall before he and his brother boarded the Hogwarts Express to go back to Kings Cross where papa Luc would be waiting for them.

Theo nudged his side, calling for Harry's attention. The emerald eyed boy turned to his friend and cocked his head to the side in a questioning manner. The tall blonde flushed a bit; "I was wondering if you'd like to come to Nott Manor over the break?" Harry beamed at his friend and promptly agreed to come over and visit his fellow snake.

He was sure he and Theo would have a great time together; they always did. Theo and Harry just worked well together. They complemented each other very well; he was hot tempered at times and Theo was cool and calm. While Harry sometimes rushed into things without thinking Theo always had a strategy, several in fact, on how to deal with the issue.

It sometimes annoyed him that Theo was so collected but he realized that was just how his friend was and Harry wouldn't change him for the world. Besides Draco Theodore Nott was his best friend and the raven was thrilled to be invited to Nott Manor for a visit. It was a privilege to be asked to come to a pure-blood's ancestral home.

Pure-bloods guarded their homes and secrets jealously so this invitation for Harry to come visit was a big deal and the raven felt honored that his friend trusted him enough to ask him. This invitation would have to be answered in kind too. Over the summer Harry would ask; if it was alright with papa Luc, for Theo to come and stay at Malfoy Manor since that was the closest place he had right now to an ancestral home.

He wouldn't get to access the Potter's ancestral home or vaults other than his trust vault until he was of age; that sucked but there was nothing to be done for it. Anyway, it wasn't like he, or his family, was broke and hurting for the money he couldn't reach yet.

Theo smiled that small smile that Harry quite liked on the taller boy's face and responded; "Great, I'll owl you so we can set up a day for you to come over. I'm looking forward to it." Harry nodded and went back to his breakfast his smile even brighter than it was before. Draco looked at him, silently asking to know what was going on with him and why was Harry smiling like a loon.

The Potter-Snape shook his head, telling his brother without words that he would explain later. He wasn't sure if Draco would become upset that he wasn't invited to Nott Manor with Harry and the emerald eyed boy didn't want his brother to have a sulk in the middle of the Great Hall because he wasn't invited to join Harry at Theo's.

Well Draco would get over it in time if he did have an issue with Harry going. Harry loved his brother but he felt like they needed to spread their wings and make lives for themselves outside of each other. His blonde sibling would always be his brother, his best friend, and confidant but Harry knew he needed more people in his life than just Draco.

And Draco knew it too to some extent. During the school year the Malfoy heir began to become closer to Blaise Zabini; the two worked well together much like Theo and Harry did. However, their disagreements were much more explosive than his and Theo's. Blaise was calm and cool like the Nott heir but when someone ruffled his feathers, something Draco excelled at, the chocolate skinned boy was explosive.

Harry had spent many an amused nights in his dorm listening to Draco and Blaise snapping back and forth at each other before he and Theo had to stop Blaise from strangling the exasperating blonde boy. Harry felt for Blaise he truly did. He had the urge to maim Draco several times over the years but that was what made Draco Draco.

The blonde was infuriating sometimes but you couldn't ask for someone better than the blonde if you ever got into a tight spot. Harry knew his brother would move heaven and hell to help him and Harry would do the same. Blaise seemed to know this as well and whenever the Zabini heir got into an argument with Draco he would be the one to approach the blonde to reconcile, knowing that the Malfoy heir was too proud to apologize.

Yup, dealing with Malfoys was an artform and one required an incredible amount of patience to deal with them but it was worth it. Severus somehow had gotten Lucius to calm down on the snobbishness over the years so Malfoys were trainable; you just needed years to grind them down or as his dad once muttered withhold sex long enough.

That may be true and he was glad his dad knew how to handle his papa but he really never wanted to know about his fathers' sex life. Ewwww! How the hell had his mind gotten here?! At this point Harry was just going to stop thinking and enjoy his breakfast before he vomited thinking about his fathers having sex! Ew, ew, ew; it was disturbing!

Theo apparently noticed his friends face turning pale and nudged Harry's shoulder to bring the green eyed boy's attention back onto him. Harry was very grateful to his friend and slung an arm around the blue eyed blonde's thin shoulder and gave him a squeeze; "Thank you Theo, thank you! You're amazing!"

The Nott heir looked confused as to why his emerald eyed friend looked so relieved and Harry could tell the taller boy was at a loss for a reason why Harry was babbling his thanks at him but in the end the Nott heir didn't bother asking Harry what was going on with him.

Somehow Theo knew he just didn't want to know what was going on in that raven head of Harry's. In the end Theo settled for; "No problem, Harry. Are you sure you're alright?" Harry nodded vigorously before launching into a discussion about the Quidditch match that would take place right when they returned from Yule break; Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. That match was relevant to the snake house since they were currently in the lead for the Quidditch Cup but Gryffindor and Ravenclaw were right behind them.

The match between the Lions and the Eagles would let Slytherin know how many points they would need to rack up in their next Quidditch match against Hufflepuff to stay in or regain the lead in the standings. However, Harry wasn't worried about it too much. But Harry wasn't to fussed about it; Slytherin had a fantastic Quidditch team with a demon as a Captain and Chaser. Marcus Flint, priorly mentioned demon Captain and Chaser, would not allow the serpent house to lose this year. His dad would also be less than pleased if he didn't get the Quidditch Cup again this year.

Theo had an opinion similar to Harry's in regards to their houses chance in winning the Quidditch Cup. During the Quidditch conversation several boys and a few girls from several years jumped in and began to banter back in forth about the game. Several girls, including Pansy and Daphne, and a few boys were rolling their eyes as they watched the Quidditch obsessed argue back and forth about which brooms were better and how big of a shot did the Chudley Cannons really have of not finishing at the bottom of their league this season.

Soon their conversation was cut off when his dad stood at the head of the table near the entrance to the Great Hall and called for their attention. When the whole of Slytherin House was looking at him Severus began to speak; "Good Morning, I want all seventh years to stand and follow me outside so I can hand out your term grades. If any of you have questions I will answer them then. The rest of you will remain here until I come back to collect you."

Several still seated Slytherins murmured; "Yes, sir," or "Of course, Professor", but his dad wasn't paying attention and swept out of the Hall; the seventh years trailing behind him looking a bit anxious about receiving their end of term grades. Harry wasn't worried but a few students looked a bit green; well it was their fault for not studying or seeking help if they were having an issue with a class. For Merlin's sake Harry sometimes asked Neville for advice about Herbology! So if he could do it then his fellow snakes could too!

Draco looked calm as did Theo and Blaise but Greg and Vince, as Harry called them now, looked a bit nervous. But who could blame them the two large boys were dense but not due to lack of trying. They'd both approached Harry for some help in a few classes and Morgana knew the emerald eyed wizard tried to help them but it didn't seem to accomplish anything.

The two boys seemed to have an issue with grasping concepts; they could cast the spells alright but it was the theory that escaped them. That was why they'd sought out Harry. The Potter-Snape was considered by his Professors as a prodigy when it came to Charms, Defense, and Transfiguration; all classes that relied a bit heavily on theory, so it stood to reason that Greg and Vince would seek him out for assistance.

Hopefully, they at least secured Acceptable's in their classes; Harry would check with them when they returned from Yule. The raven wondered if he should start a study group? It would do them all good since Harry, Theo, Draco, and Blaise were considered amongst the smartest students in their year so Harry felt it was their job to make sure their other year mates didn't fall behind in their studies; it would make Slytherin look bad if that happened.

Harry looked around the Great Hall, giving small smiles and nods to his associates from other Houses; Neville, Hermione, and the Weasely twins at the Gryffindor table. Susan Bones from Hufflepuff and Parvati Patel from Ravenclaw. These people were the few he spoke with outside of his house on a regular basis; he would like to extend his association with more of the students but they were wary of him.

Some because he was a Slytherin, some because he was a Parselmouth, and others because they were in awe of the Boy-Who-Lived and couldn't form a coherent sentence around him. Others were enamored with him and couldn't stop stuttering and gushing at him, thanking him for defeating You-Know-Who; these instances were the worst for the young Potter-Snape. He really had no idea how to respond to the vapid fangirls and boys.

He didn't want to be rude but sometimes that was the only way to get them to realize that he didn't want them in his presence. Sure, he wouldn't mind them if they stopped blushing and making mooney eyes at him but that seemed unlikely at this point in time. Draco and the rest of his Slytherin friends found it amusing to watch him squirm but they always rescued him if one of the obsessed got a little too zealous with their approach. Thank Merlin, Morgana, and Salazar for that!

Well it was what it was and Harry wouldn't lose sleep over something he could not control. All he could do was avoid the rabid fans; which incidentally helped him learn some of the secret passages in the school. So it seemed the crazy fans had a purpose after all; they improved his knowledge of the castle and helped him practice stealth and aversion tactics. Those stealth tactics would no doubt be helpful for him to know down the line.

HIs dad stepping back in to call for the sixth years brought his attention back onto the conversations going on around him. He chuckled when he saw Draco glaring at a smirking Blaise; he wondered what the chocolate skinned boy did now to piss his sibling off? Oh well the blonde would get over it, no doubt before they left to board the train; Draco was moody like that sometimes.

~*~*~*Time Skip~*~*~*

Harry jauntily sat down inside their chosen compartment on the Hogwarts Express, a smug smile flitting onto his face. Draco rolled his eyes and snapped; "Now will you tell us what your marks were on your end of term exams? Though judging by your unbearable smugness I'd say it was all O's." The raven smirked but didn't answer, causing Draco's scowl to deepen; "Harry, damn it tell me what you got on your exams!"

The raven chuckled at the blonde's facial expression before loftily replying; "Why, of course, I'll tell you dearest brother. All you had to do was ask nicely." Draco gaped like a fish for a moment, making the assembled boys laugh at him, before his mouth clicked shut and he huffed before turning sulkily to look out the window, effectively ignoring Harry, Theo, and Blaise.

The emerald eyed boy knew he was being a pain seeing as Draco asked about his grades since they'd left the castle but he just couldn't help riling the blonde up. He was just so pleased with himself and he knew he would remember the look of pride on his dad's face when he told Harry he'd scored straight Outstanding's on his end of term tests. That made all the studying and loss of fun time worth it; he was definitely getting that coveted Nimbus 2000 off papa Luc now!

He shook his head and nudged his brother in the side; grudgingly the Malfoy heir turned his head to glare at raven haired sibling. Harry smiled at him and nudged him again, letting Draco know he was done being an arse. The blonde sniffed haughtily before speaking; "So...what the bloody hell did you get on your end of term exams!"

Harry laughed along with Theo and Blaise; trust Draco to not let something go until he got what he wanted. Quieting down the raven finally told his brother and friends what he'd received on his tests; "Well I received straight O's in all my subjects." Draco slapped him in the arm and congratulated him on his good scores. Theo and Blaise were right behind the blonde to offer their compliments on his grades.

He already knew each of their scores since the three of them were eager to blurt out their stellar marks. Blaise, Theo, and Draco tallied O's in all their subjects with the exception of one E each. Harry was proud of them for doing so well; Severus told him it was strange to have four first years do so well in their exams but he knew the four of them had worked very hard to get the marks they had.

He wondered how Granger did? Merlin help the school if she didn't get straight O's! She would never leave the library again! He laughed internally and poked the snake resting lazily around his shoulders under his robes. Ebony sleepily poked her head out and surveyed the compartment before slithering off Harry so she could snuggle herself around Theo's shoulders.

The tall blonde had gotten used to Ebony's affectionate nature towards him and now just sat quietly and stroked her scaly head. Harry was greatly amused to watch this as well as here Ebony command Theo to scratch here or there; this was greatly amused to Harry as well since Theo had no clue what his familiar was saying to him.

Nonetheless the tall blonde accepted that Harry's large serpent liked him for some reason and stopped freaking out when Ebony used his as a warming post. It pleased Harry that his snake liked Theo just as much as her Master did. It showed that the Nott heir was a good and trustworthy person to have around. If he wasn't Ebony wouldn't have become fond of him.

He watched as Theo stroked his snake's head and murmured words to her; words that Ebony replied to and Harry translated. Draco and Blaise quickly joined the conversation; all of them enjoyed speaking to his sometimes sarcastic and snarky familiar. Not to mention that Ebony always had some tidbit of gossip to speak about since she constantly slithered around the castle eavesdropping on people while she hunted.

The rest of the journey to London passed quickly, full of conversation and sweets courtesy of the old witch who pushed around the food trolley.

~*~*~*POV Change and Time Skip~*~*~*

Lord Voldemort and his willing host, Quirrell, made their way silently through the nearly empty castle on the eve of Yule; it was quite late and the Dark Lord knew that Dumbledore was out of the castle for the night and wouldn't return until the wards that were surely guarding the Sorcerer's Stone were triggered. He could probably dismantle the wards, and if he encountered any simple ones he would but the heavier wards, if there were any, would just have to be suffered through.

Besides the parasitic Dark Lord had a feeling none of the erected wards would physically harm him. It was a hunch, but then again his hunches were usually right, that the Headmaster wanted Harry Potter to seek out the Stone as a test of the boy's skills. Unfortunately for the aged meddling fool the Boy-Who-Lived had never seemed interested in the third floor corridor or so the snakes within the portraits surrounding the corridor told him.

How disappointed must Dumbledore be that his supposed golden boy of the Light had shown no interest in his little scheme? Most likely this little test with the Stone was but one the old man would try. He knew the old Headmaster well and the old goat did not give up easily once he got his head wrapped around something. He never saw Tom Riddle as anything but a disturbed boy. The old man never looked a bit deeper to see the boy under the icy shield of a mask.

No, the old man almost encouraged Tom Riddle's isolation, watching him and attempting to obstruct his younger self's growth and achievements. Well he hadn't succeeded in the least in the end. Lord Voldemort's downfall was brought on by his own insanity and blind narcissism, not the old Coot, but that was the past and one must learn from their previous debacles in order to move forward; something Dumbledore never did learn.

Where the old bastard cast Tom Riddle in the role of an enemy he'd cast Harry Potter-Snape into the role of savior. Only time would tell how badly the Headmaster's plans would backfire; one day those close to the boy would see the Headmaster's manipulations with their own eyes, most likely Severus Snape was already wise to the old man's intentions, and obstruct Dumbledore in them actively; if they weren't already.

He'd sit back and watch the show play out. All Dumbledore was doing by attempting to manipulate Harry was pushing him further away from him. Further away from the Light and while the boy may never be counted as the Dark's ally he wouldn't be among its enemies; the Dark Lord was alright with that. The Boy-Who-Lived was too intelligent and observant for his own good and one day that boy would grow into a formidable man.

The little Snape was already setting himself up well; gathering people around him that would be useful or influential later on after Hogwarts. Harry was much like him when he went to school at Hogwarts but they differed in one way; where Voldemort saw his followers as followers Harry saw them as his friends. Maybe that was the better way to go about it though. When someone saw you as a friend and felt care toward you they were less likely to betray you.

Then again Pettigrew was James Potter's friend for years and had no issue with stabbing the Potters in the back but the rat was an anomaly. It was fortunate that the rat was the Potter's Secret Keeper or Voldemort would have killed him when he caught him after the sniveling wretch graduated Hogwarts. But as he was thinking Pettigrew was an aberration amongst the Light side.

During his gambit of madness he'd captured and tortured several Light supporters close to Dumbledore and tortured them well past the point of sanity and still they held their tongues; some even going as far as to bite their tongues off rather than spill their secrets when given Veritaserum. But then again his Death Eaters, generally, were the same; most would rather die than betray their Lord.

Probably because his followers knew the price of betrayal if it was found out; that punishment was death, delivered in the most painful of ways. However, he couldn't fault some of his followers for switching sides during his foray into madness. Severus Snape would be forgiven, mostly because killing the man would upset the little Potter-Snape and the Dark Lord didn't need that boy interfering with his plans.

He already needed to worry about Harry seeking vengeance for his parents' death. Though Pettigrew held most of the blame for his parents' death but surely the Dark Lord would take his share of them blame. He was the one who raised his wand to cast the Killing Curse but it was war, damn it! While Harry may not understand what that's like now he hopefully would as he got older.

During a war you do what you have to do to win and secure your victory. In his demented state of mind he thought it best to neutralize the child prophesized to kill him and to do that he needed to eliminate the whelp's parents; who were high ranking Order of the Phoenix members in their own right. So in his mind he was eliminating three promising threats with three simple slashes of his wand.

It was remarkably logical strategy for his once mad self but he was digressing from his mission. Tonight he would slip past the three-headed dog and retrieve his prize. He wasn't sure what else would be through the trapdoor but he was prepared to meet it and as he dwelled on many times over the past school term the tests and protections were orchestrated to allow a first year to pass them.

Between himself and Quirrell they were two qualified wizards; one who was a font of magical knowledge; Light, Neutral, and Dark. Without further adieu the door separating him from the dog opened on slightly squeaky hinges, alerting the best to his presence. The Dark Lord felt no wards surrounding the door and pooked their head inside.

The massive creature began to snarl and snap at him but couldn't reach him due to the heavy chain around its neck,connecting it to the back wall. With a mental smile he ordered Quirrell to conjure a harp and spell it to play for an hour. His host complied with ease and before long the beast was snoring loudly, sending gusty breaths of hot air onto their body as they opened the trapdoor in the stone floor.

Cautiously Quirrell lit his wand and stuck it into the hole in the floor. When nothing launched out of the trapdoor to attack them the stuttering Defense Professor jumped into the darkness and landed on something vine-like and squishy; within seconds the Dark Lord felt the tentacles begin to ensnare them tightly in its grasp. With a mental hiss he commanded his host to cast Incendio to rid them of the troublesome Devil's Snare.

A few jets of fire later and they were making their way through the door to another simple challenge; this one was comprised of flying keys which could not be summoned. As derogatory as it was the Dark Lord had to submit to riding an old, broken down broom to retrieve the correct brass key; at least he was not in his own body or the humiliation of riding this contraption would be too much to bear.

The correct key caught Quirrell slipped it into the rusted lock and twisted it to unlock the door. Making haste they entered the next challenge; that of a giant chess board. So far they'd faced Sprout and Flitwick's challenge so this must be McGonagall's; no matter how much he found the cat woman annoying he had to give her credit for her spell work as it was incredibly advanced.

However, it would not stop him from his goal and with a mental smile he took more control over his host; the glint of red in Quirrell's eyes becoming more prominent as he made his first move. The game went swiftly, if anything the Dark Lord was an excellent strategist and soon enough the Black King's sword was falling to the ground in defeat.

With a disturbing grin showing on Quirrell's kind face they proceeded into the next chamber which held a table topped with several bottles and a piece of parchment. He moved forward slowly, checking for wards and finding none, still in control of Quirrell's movements; he was waiting for another trap or trick to spring but none came.

When he stood in front of the head of the table flames erupted in the two doorways in the room. Ah so there were a few tricks waiting for them, curious the Dark Lord looked at the two dorrways in the room. The one he just came through sported purple flames and the one he needed to enter was now shrouded in black fire. With a sigh of annoyance he plucked up the parchment and read the riddle aloud.

"Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,

Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,

One among us seven will let you move ahead,

Another will transport the drinker back instead,

Two among our number hold only nettle wine,

Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.

Choose, unless you wish to stay here for evermore,

To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:

First, however slyly the poison tries to hide

You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;

Second, different are those who stand at either end,

But if you would move onwards neither is your friend;

Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,

Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;

Fourth, the second left and the second on the right

Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight."

With a chuckled the Dark Lord immediately zeroed in on the correct potion needed to pass through the door and the one that would allow him to leave when he found the Stone. The third one in the line was the one needed to advance while the seventh would allow him to leave the room if the flames didn't dissipate by then. With quick movements he snatched the third potion up and downed it, shivering a bit when it felt like ice was moving within his borrowed veins.

This must have been Severus' contribution to the cause; the Dark Lord would know his Potion Master's work anywhere as the dour man's potions were always two times more effective than any other brewers. Once the potion had done its job he removed the seventh vial and placed it in Quirrell's robe pocket and then moved to walk through the door covered in black flame.

It was an odd sensation, feeling the heat from fire lick at their body but not burning them at all; intellectually he knew he would not be burned by the flames since he drank the needed potion but on a primitive level he was still unnerved to walk through fire, something primal and base within him told him that fire was dangerous and he should not go near it.

He tamped down on his instincts and swept through the doorway into a large stone chamber reminiscent of the Great Hall, only smaller. Within the large stone room a large mirror framed in tarnished gold shimmered, looking quite harmless but the Dark Lord knew better. Just by looking at the mirror he knew it was enchanted with powerful magic. Quirrell's now red eyes glinted in curiosity as they walked toward the mirror, examining it closely.

At the top an inscription was written and Voldemort spoke it out loud; "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi." He thought on the words for a few minutes and could not match them with any dialect or language known to him so it was not a language. He considered this and figured that the words must be scrambled; now to figure out how they were arranged; the simplest solution was usually the right one.

The Dark Lord read the inscribed words backwards a few times, sounding them out to find their correct order and cackled when they finally made sense; "I show not your face but your heart's desire." Well that made getting the Stone that much easier as getting the Stone was his heart's greatest desire but for some reason he knew it wouldn't be that easy, not when Dumbledore was involved. But he needed to try something and moving to stand front and center in the mirror was a good beginning step.

Quirrell's image reflected back at them, red eyes squinted in concentration as the Dark Lord thought over and over about getting the Stone so he could regenerate himself. His prize didn't come forth but he did see himself as he used to be before he became deformed, standing in front of the Ministry as the British Minister of Magic; the hordes of adoring witches and wizards standing around him bowing in awe.

While that was a wonderful image it was not the one he sought. Not detoured he began to think about what Dumbledore could have done to ensure that no one could get the Stone that he felt didn't deserve it. If he was the old fool what would he have done? He would have made sure whoever retrieved the Stone would not want it for their own gain; so that excluded him from retrieving it.

What to do, what to do? A spark of inspiration hit him and he quickly withdrew from Quirrell's mind totally, shuttering their connection as best he could. Before he left his host to his own mind he murmured; "Wish for the Stone so you can protect it from harm's way." He felt his host's mental nod of agreement and after that he was in the dark, waiting for Quirrell to succeed in his task.

The Dark Lord wasn't sure how long it was until his host began to prod at their connection but when he felt his servant's call he opened their link and mentally crowed when he saw his follower holding a large blood red stone; his prize was finally his! Impatient to be gone and away from Hogwarts before Dumbledore came back Voldemort forced himself back into control of Quirrell's body and they swiftly made their way out of the chamber.

The potion was still in effect and he got through the black flames with no issue and once he downed the proper potion he raced through the purple fire with no problem. The chess board had reset itself but made no move to impede their progress and the door leading back into the room with the flying keys was closed but unlocked, allowing them back into the key room.

From there it was a matter of exiting, burning the Devil's Snare and levitating themselves back into the room that held the still sleeping dog. It was too easy and the Dark Lord was on edge as he made his way silently through Hogwarts; not toward the Entrance Hall but toward the Chamber of Secrets. That was the safest place to go for them. No one at the school save him could enter Salazar's private space as you needed to be able to speak Parseltongue to enter.

And the only other known Parselmouth was Harry Potter-Snape and the boy was spending his Yule at home with his family; the many variables that allowed him to steel the Stone seemed to have aligned perfectly on this night. But it was not the time to revel in his victory; he could not lower his guard until he was safely ensconced in the Chamber.

As he entered Moaning Myrtle's bathroom he heard several people racing towards the lavatory, knowing they were coming for him the Dark Lord hurried to the sink and hissed; _"Open." _Within moments the sink began to lower and without a thought he hurtled their body over the porcelain fixture and hissed the chosen word to make the sink rise again to close the entrance; _"Close." _

The last thing he heard before the fixture guarding the Chamber sealed itself was Dumbledore shouting a high powered Blasting Hex at the sink. Voldemort cackled, knowing the old coot's spell would do no good; the sinks were warded by Slytherin himself, no one with the exception of another Founder could have undone them. This meant he was truly home free since the only wards he was now surrounded by were also Slytherin's and did not tie into the main wards surrounding Hogwarts.

With a maniacal grin on his face he made his way toward the Chamber Door, reveling in his victory and the delighting in the anguish he heard in Dumbledore's shout before the sink closed in the old man's wrinkled face. All he had to do now was escape through the many tunnels that ran through the school; one of which exited outside the school's wards in the Forbidden Forest.

*~*~*POV Change~*~*~*

Harry was jolted awake out of his dreamless slumber when he heard what sounded like Dumbledore's voice shouting his dad's name from the kitchen downstairs. At first he thought he was still dreaming but then the light in the hall shown underneath the door to his room and he knew something bad must have happened for Dumbledore to call his dad this late on the Eve of Yule. Sitting up in bed he blinked his eyes a few times to focus them and stretched out his back while trying to make sense of what was going on downstairs.

Not hearing much and getting more curious by the second Harry slipped out of his cozy bed and put on his slippers. He quietly made his way out of his room and down the stairs. Draco joined him to investigate what was going on; both boys were confused as to what it could be but both knew it wasn't something good. They peeked around the corner and looked into the dark kitchen. The only light in the room coming from the green flames in the hearth.

They could see Dumbledore's aged face was featured in the center of the fireplace; Harry had never seen the man look so disheveled and if he didn't know better afraid. The raven cleared his mind and listened in. He watched as his dad and papa Luc listened to the old man speak about the Stone being stolen by Quirrell.

So Quirrell was the one after the Stone; well Harry had not seen that one coming at all. However, the next piece of information hit him with the force of a Bludger to the gut. "Severus, Lucius, that is not the most disturbing thing about what occurred tonight. Quirrell escaped into the Chamber of Secrets; Quirrell spoke Parseltongue and I swear the man's eyes were red. You both know what this means!" He watched his fathers stiffen in shock before Lucius took Severus' hand in his, offering support and comfort to his dad.

Harry watched as the two men who meant the world to him had a silent conversation with their eyes before Severus spoke; "What would you like us to do, Headmaster?" The old man sighed; "Would you be able to bring Harry through so he could attempt to open the entrance to the Chamber? We need to get down there as soon as possible but Harry is the only other known Parselmouth and as such is the only one who could possibly do it."

The younger raven watched his dad stiffen and grimace as if he was in physical pain before his face smoothed and Harry knew his dad had come to a decision; "Lucius and myself will speak to Harry and ask him if he is willing to do this. I will not lie to him; this is a dangerous situation and my son will have a choice on whether he wants to risk his neck for you." Dumbledore nodded in acquiescence, knowing this was the best he was going to get out of the protective father.

Severus and Lucius turned and began to leave the kitchen, prompting Harry and Draco to scurry into the living room. Their fathers found them sitting on the sofa looking like a child who was just caught sticking their hand in the cookie jar. Harry was fidgeting a bit and looking at their Yule tree with great interest, wondering, vaguely, what he would be getting for Solstice? He already received new pajamas, which were lovely and warm, but he knew papa Luc would go overboard, as usual. Harry also considered what they'd have for dinner tonight? Whatever it was it would be delicious Harry was sure.

The onyx eyed wizard sighed, breaking Harry out of his mental rambling and getting his attention, before asking; "How much did you two hear?" Harry nibbled on his bottom lip, staring into the fireplace where their large Yule log still burned brightly and marshaled his thoughts; "We heard that Quirrell stole the Stone and it sounded like the Dark Lord was possessing him somehow. And Dumbledore wants me to try and open the Chamber of Secrets since I'm a Parselmouth." Both older males nodded in reply as they had nothing to add; Harry had summed it all up quite well.

Lucius cleared his throat; "Harry, no matter what you chose to do you know that your dad, Draco, and I will support you. We will not pressure into making a decision. This could be a very dangerous task and we don't want to see you hurt so think carefully before you make your choice." The emerald eyed boy closed his eyes and thought about what he wanted to do.

He did want to help Dumbledore not because he had any form of affection for the old man but because if Voldemort had the Stone and the crimson eyed maniac needed to be stopped before he could do something horrid. Harry knew he couldn't just stand by when he could do something to help; with that thought in mind he opened his green eyes and looked directly at his dad; "I want to help but once I've opened the Chamber I want to leave; I see no use for me remaining and getting in the way."

His fathers smiled at him and Draco nudged him while grinning at him; the younger blonde's grin turned into a smirk; "Well, brother, it seems we've finally drummed some self-preservation into you." Harry snorted but said nothing; he already knew he sometimes tended to run pell-mell into situations without giving a thought to his safety but this was something altogether different.

This wasn't a Quidditch game or trying to stop someone from bullying someone else. This was the Dark Lord and Harry had no desire to face that man in any form. Decision made he excused himself to change and clean himself up a bit; Draco rose with him to do the same, saying that Harry wasn't going anywhere without him.

It didn't happen often but sometimes Draco's overprotective big brother tendencies reared their ugly head, mostly they annoyed Harry but this time Harry was more than willing to accept whatever comfort having his sibling, and fathers, along would give him.

Together the boys climbed the stairs, papa Luc following behind them so he could begin dressing while Severus entered the kitchen to explain to the Headmaster what they as a family had decided to do. Harry walked into his room and encountered an annoyed and groggy Ebony; _"Master, what is going on? Why are you awake? Who was yelling? Why are you getting dressed?"_ Harry had to chuckle at his familiar's annoyed tone and her rapid fire hissed questions.

After he'd slipped on a sweater, comfortable robe and jeans he turned to his serpent and answered her questions; _"Dumbledore called for dad tonight after he discovered that someone stole the Stone from the third floor corridor. I'm getting dressed since I'm the only one other than the Dark Lord who can open the Chamber of Secrets."_

Ebony hissed in what could have been anger; _"And you were just going to leave me here! I'm coming with you and when we arrive at the school I will be shifting to my original length. I won't let anything happen to you, foolish hatchling!" _Harry just lifted his peeved familiar onto his shoulder and stroked her scales as she slithered under his robes. He knew she would get over her irritation with him soon but it was nice to know that she cared so much for him and his safety.

He really was lucky to have so many people, and a snake, around him who genuinely cared for his health and happiness. But now was not the time to reflect on that; he had a Chamber to open. Harry could think about these maudlin, fluffy, things later when he came back home. He removed a pair of socks from his dresser and put them on. After he was dressed he went downstairs and slipped on his knee high boots and heavy winter cloak.

Severus and Lucius were standing off to the side in the kitchen holding each other; Harry knew they were both afraid of what this meant for them. They were not loyal to the Dark Lord but they were still branded by the man and now after ten years of peace the man who made their lives hell was rising from the shadows. Harry would do whatever he could to help his parents; they were the ones who loved him and raised him and he wouldn't let anything hurt them if he could help it.

He knew now that Severus and Lucius had taken a great risk in accepting him and raising him. And now that the Dark Lord, through his possession of Quirrell, knew about the two Death Eater's affection for Harry they would be at the top of the monster's hit list when he regained his full strength.

Draco slipped an arm around Harry's shoulder, being careful ot to hit Ebony, and nudged his temple with his nose before he spoke; "Hey, no matter what we'll stick together. We don't know exactly what's going on so for now let's just take it as it comes, alright?" The emerald eyed wizard nodded in agreement; there was no point in freaking out yet. When they knew more about what the Dark Lord was up to then they could start jumping to conclusions and making suppositions but for right now they needed to get to Hogwarts.

The two eleven year olds entered the kitchen and went to stand next to their chosen parent; Harry with Severus and Draco with Lucius. Dumbledore's head was still in the hearth and when the two boys were next to the older wizards he spoke; "I'll leave the connection open, you know the words to speak Severus." The Potions Master merely nodded curtly and waved his hand for Dumbledore to get out of the way so they could floo through.

The old man moved out of the green flames so Harry and Severus could enter the hearth. Severus spoke clearly so Lucius could here the correct words to get them to Hogwarts; "The Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland, Mike and Ike's!," those words made Harry wonder why the old coot would select a password like Mike and Ike's before he was swept away in the bright green flames, holding onto his father's arm with one hand and Ebony's body with the other as they were swept off to Hogwarts.

_**Wellllll that's all for this chapter! I had to cut it here before this chapter went on for too long. I find that chapters over 8,000 words can be too much at one time. Just my opinion and since I'm writing this fic it's my opinion that matters! Hehehehe! Anyway, next chapter more things will be going on with our favorite Dark Lord and Harry has a bit of fun over break.**_

_**Oh and Yule or the Winter Solstice takes place on December 21 so if anyone is wondering what he hell day all this is happening on it's December 20 since it Yule Eve. I had Harry and family burn their Yule Log on the Eve of Yule. **_

_**Also, I used some excerpts from The Sorcerer's Stone in this chapter; I'm sure you all figured out where they were but I still wanted to reference it here.**_

_**Hope you enjoyed this update and more too come soon!**_

_**All Mistakes Are My Own!**_


	11. Chapter 11

_Author: HatefulRodeo_

_Story: Of Unexpected Deliveries and Doorsteps_

_Notes: Hola Lovelies! So Harry's POV for the entirety of the chapter. Dumbledore gets put in his place a little bit and Harry meets a new friend. Thank you to all who fav'd, followed, and reviewed; and a bug hug to those who did all three. Enjoy dear readers!_

_Parseltongue looks like "This"!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I will make no money from the posting of this story._

_Previously:_

_The two eleven year olds entered the kitchen and went to stand next to their chosen parent; Harry with Severus and Draco with Lucius. Dumbledore's head was still in the hearth and when the two boys were next to the older wizards he spoke; "I'll leave the connection open, you know the words to speak Severus." The Potions Master merely nodded curtly and waved his hand for Dumbledore to get out of the way so they could floo through._

_The old man moved out of the green flames so Harry and Severus could enter the hearth. Severus spoke clearly so Lucius could hear the correct words to get them to Hogwarts; "The Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland, Mike and Ike's!," those words made Harry wonder why the old coot would select a password like Mike and Ike's before he was swept away in the bright green flames, holding onto his father's arm with one hand and Ebony's body with the other as they were swept off to Hogwarts._

_**~*~*~*Chapter 11*~*~*~**_

Harry stepped out of the floo in the Headmaster's office; his father separated from him and walked over to Dumbledore where they two men began to have a quiet though no less intense conversation. The younger raven couldn't hear what they were saying but it was plain to see that his dad wasn't happy about the situation and Harry couldn't blame him for his anger.

When Lucius and Draco stepped through the floo the older blonde separated from his heir and joined the older wizards' conversation. The younger blonde glanced over at Harry and gave him a small reassuring smile before he began to explore the circular office. The room was packed with several odd contraptions that were either squeaking, whirling, or puffing out tufts of smoke.

Until that moment Harry hadn't even cared to look around the office to closely. His green eyes were now stared blankly at the wall of portraits showcasing past Headmasters and Headmistresses. While his eyes were fixed on the portraits his mind was whirling with information.

He couldn't help but remember his thoughts from a few weeks ago; he remembered thinking that Dumbledore was mad for keeping something like the Sorcerer's Stone inside a school full of children when he knew the Dark Lord could possibly come for it, and in the end the man known as Lord Voldemort had come and stolen the precious item; right from under Dumbledore's crooked nose.

He truly didn't want to believe that the aged Headmaster could be so careless and reckless with his responsibilities to the school but alas Harry couldn't deny it any further. Dumbledore put people at risk by taking in the Stone; it was just lucky that the Dark Lord chose to steal the thing during Yule break, and late in the night, when the school would be empty of people walking around. The emerald eyed wizard shuddered when he thought about what could have happened had a duel occurred between his parents' murderer and another competent wizard.

The damage could have been monumental and Merlin only knows if someone could have been killed in the ensuing battle. He would be grateful that no one was hurt in process of Voldemort's plan; it could have been so much worse. Yes, the Dark Lord now had a means of bringing himself back but at this point Harry would be grateful that nothing else besides the Stone was taken; no loss of life or damage to the castle he now considered his second home.

However, Dumbledore had a lot to answer for; why had he chosen to keep the Stone here? From what Harry knew of the object it belonged to Nicholas Flamel, surely the aged Alchemist could have adequately protected his own property, seeing as he'd done it for over five hundred years. So why had the Stone been moved to Hogwarts for safekeeping?

Something didn't seem right with the whole scenario when he laid it out in front of him. He would have to talk to his dad and papa Luc later about this; Dumbledore was up to something and Harry did not like it. The young Potter-Snape was feeling uneasy; Harry felt like the old man was trying to suck him into some sort of plot; he didn't know why he felt that way but he did and if it was one thing Harry despised it was being blatantly manipulated and kept in the dark.

His dad always tried to keep his son up to date on information and the only time he kept anything from Harry was when it wasn't Severus' secret to tell. He had a feeling this was one of those situations where his dad was unable to tell the younger raven what was going on inside Hogwarts.

But now that the cat was out of the bag his dad could answer his questions without fear of reprisal from Dumbledore; Harry had a feeling it was the old man who was forcing his dad's silence. If that was true then he was even more angry with the old man; the emerald eyed wizard did not like that his dad was being forced to keep important things from him, his son.

And if he knew his dad well enough his father was probably annoyed with the forced silence as well. But soon he would have his answers and then he would know exactly what was going on here, well he would know as much as his dad knew and that was probably a hell of a lot more than he knew now.

Any information at this point was better than none; and at this point all Harry had was a handful of facts and sparce tidbits of information collected by Ebony and his own sources. He wondered if he was ready to absorb anymore information...tonight had already put his mind into overload but he would not turn away from this. The problem situation wouldn't go away just because he didn't want to, or feel like, dealing with it. Taking a deep breath he pushed down his thoughts and slowed his breathing, thinking about the gifts he'd receive tomorrow for Yule.

Unfortunately, his shields could only do so much and soon his mind was swimming in past thoughts and observations; all of it writhing to the forefront of his mind to be examined and mulled over. Taking another deep breath he ruthlessly forced it all down with his Occlumency shields. When his mind was blessedly blank Harry opened his eyes and looked around the room; his dad, papa Luc, and Dumbledore were still conversing in low voices while Draco was speaking to one of the past Headmasters; a well dressed man who somewhat resembled Draco.

Ebony chose that moment to make an appearance, pulling Harry's attention away from his sibling and onto his serpent when she poked her scaly nose out of his robes. She flicked her tongue out so it tickled Harry's cheek before she began to hiss at him; _"Master, are you well? Can I grow now?" _

Harry looked down at his familiar and smiled grimly at her; _"I'm fine, Eb. Go ahead and re-size yourself." _ The black snake nodded and without another sibilant word slithered totally out of Harry's robes and down to the floor where she began to grow to an impressive twelve feet in lengths.

Harry looked on in curiosity since this was the first time Ebony had regrown herself in front of him and it was a decidedly odd thing to see. He couldn't help but notice that his familiar had grown another few feet and gotten decidedly thicker around the middle, probably from their bonding and the abundance of rats scurrying around the castle. At this rate she'd be absolutely massive by the time he graduated; this pleased him greatly.

Ebony did the snake equivalent of shaking her body and slithered back to settle in front of the warm fire, completely ignoring the looks she was getting from the adults and Draco. Harry knew she was an intimidating sight in her true form but all her added size did was make him feel safer; he knew that Ebony would never let anything happen to him if she could help it.

A musical cry was heard, bringing Harry's attention to the newly arrived Phoenix that was sitting upon a wooden perch near the Headmaster's messy desk. The Firebird watched Harry and his snake closely before it gave another lyrical cry and launched itself into the air and onto the young raven's shoulder. The emerald eyed wizard watched this all in detached interest, wondering why the red and gold bird decided he'd make a good perch.

While he observed the Phoenix his hand rose absently and began to stroke the bird's chest, observing that the feathers were incredibly soft and warm under his fingers. Dumbledore's voice brought Harry out of his thoughts; "Ah, young Harry, it seems Fawkes has taken a liking to you."

So Fawkes was the bird's name. This little fact was good to know since Harry didn't want to refer to Fawkes as The Phoenix or The Firebird. Harry nodded and murmured a greeting to the bird on his shoulder before rolling his shoulder to dislodge the bird from his person; they had things to accomplish tonight and while it was nice to meet Fawkes he had bigger things to deal with.

When the bird was off his shoulder and back on his allotted perch Harry turned to face the three older wizards; "I think we should get going; who knows what the Dark Lord is doing down in the Chamber, the faster we get there the better of we'll all be."

His dad nodded and rejoined his side, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder, giving him silent support and strength. Papa Luc was right behind him along with Draco; together the four of them faced Dumbledore and waited for the old man to move or speak. The Headmaster sighed; "We should be going then. I do not believe that Voldemort will still be down there but I have to make sure; if there is any chance of stopping him I must take it."

"Now, Harry you will use your Parseltongue to open the Chamber and then you and Draco will stand back so the adults can ascertain wait is going on down there. Is that clear?" The two underage wizards nodded, both didn't feel the need to speak their obvious agreement to the Headmaster's plan. After that little conversation the four of them waited for the old man to do something.

Severus snapped in a voice filled with impatience and a bit of exasperation; "Let's get on with this, Headmaster." The old man didn't respond verbally to his dad's sharp words he just exited his office and strode down the spiral stairs. The four men and one snake followed behind the white haired wizard quietly; Harry was absorbing the comfort of having his family by his side and his familiar covering his back.

Harry was confused as to where they were headed and when they turned down the corridor he saw his Transfiguration and Charms Professors standing guard outside of the bathroom Moaning Myrtle had taken as her own. Did Salazar Slytherin really put the entrance to the Chamber of Sevrets in a bathroom? He would have thought the serpent tongued man would have constructed the entrance somewhere more grand but he guessed if you wanted to hide the entrance point a bathroom was the last place you'd look for it.

As they came closer the two Professors turned and when they saw Dumbledore and his contingent behind him they visibly relaxed and stepped forward to greet the Headmaster; "There's been no activity since Quirrell went into Chamber, Albus. Filius and I will stand guard while your group goes inside to check things out."

"That will be fine, Minerva. Please, keep your eyes and ears open to anything odd and if you require assistance please send a Patronus to me in the Chamber. If we are in need of assistance I will send a Patronus to you and Filius. Agreed?" Harry's Professors nodded their heads in agreement to Dumbledore's plan and stepped back to their sentry positions next to the bathroom door.

Dumbledore turned towards the little family, a benign smile on his face that wasn't fooling Harry for one second; he knew the old man was afraid of what they'd find inside and the emerald eyed boy didn't blame the man for his fear. If he was honest he was afraid of what they'd find too but he wouldn't let his fear rule him; they needed to do what they could to find out what was going on and if the Dark Lord was still in residence inside the castle.

"Severus, Lucius, Harry, and Draco we will enter into the bathroom and I want all of us to take up positions around the sink. Harry, you will approach the sink and find the one that has a small snake engraved into the tap; that is the guardian to the Chamber. I'm not sure what the command is to open the room but it will need to be spoken in Parseltongue. Understand?"

"I understand, Headmaster. What happens after I open the sinks up?" Dumbledore continued explaining his strategy; "After the sinks open you and young Draco will stand back so Severus, Lucius, and I can explore the entrance to make sure there aren't any traps or wards to prohibit our entrance. Once the way has been cleared for us to pass one of us will enter and check for additional spells or jinxes."

"You boys will wait until we have made sure it's safe, once we're sure it's safe the one who enters will send for the rest us. This will be the system we will continue to use; neither of you boys will go on ahead or off by yourselves. This is dangerous and I don't want anyone to be hurt."

Harry nodded at the old man, waiting for him to enter the bathroom. When Dumbledore realized Harry wasn't going to say anything he moved to open the door to the bathroom. The door opened slowly; Dumbledore had his wand out and at the ready just in case something was waiting for them.

When the door opened completely the assembled people held their breath in anticipation but nothing happened. After a few moments Dumbledore entered the room and waved the four of them in; "It appears that nothing has been done in the room in my absence. Now, Harry please approach the sink while the rest of us watch your back."

The younger raven glanced at his fathers and brother; he received small reassuring smiles from all of them and a squeeze to his shoulder from his dad. Feeling braver he moved to stand in front of the bank of sinks, looking at the faucets until he found the little snake engraving. When he found it he thought about what he should say to it; what would Salazar Slytherin have used as a password?

Ebony slithered to his side and rose up to look at the faucet in question but remained quiet, letting her Master figure this out on his own. The young boy squinted his eyes and thought logically about what the password would be; it was probably something simple since Salazar Slytherin was the only known Parselmouth of his time aside from his children. Harry believed Slytherin wouldn't have had to worry about someone outside of his bloodline getting into his personal space since no one but him and his could speak the serpent tongue.

So something simple to start then, taking a deep breath he began to hiss; _"Descend."_ But nothing happened; not feeling discourages yet Harry continued hissing at the little snake on the faucet, ignoring everyone and everything in the room with him. It wasn't until he hissed the command of _"Open" that_ something happened; the sink with the snake engraved on it began to sink into the floor, revealing a pipe like structure that went downward.

With a triumphant smile on his face he turned and stepped away from the now opened entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. As soon as he clear the three adults stepped forward and began to wave their wands in complicated patterns and speaking murmured words in Latin. When nothing happened Harry assumed it meant that the way was clear of anything that could harm them.

Dumbledore hmm'd and began to speak; "It seems that there is nothing obstructing our way. Now we must send someone down the pipe to make sure the way continues to be free of obstacles." Harry his lower lip, knowing the Headmaster was indirectly telling one of his fathers to go down the pipe and quite possibly their death.

He didn't like this not one bit and stepped forward; "Dad, if you or papa Luc are going to down there take Ebony with you. She can protect you and warn you if someone or something is coming toward you. And I can see through her eyes so I'll know you're safe. And if something tries to hurt you I'll be able to tell whoever stays here and we can get to you quickly."

His fathers looked at each other and once again communicated through their eyes and facial features; after a minute Lucius glared harshly at his dad and stepped toward Harry and Draco; "It seems Severus will be the one to go while I stay here and protect our sons."

Harry could tell how much his papa liked this idea and he wasn't exactly a big fan of it either but trying to talk his dad out of it would be like trying to convince a Niffler to not go after gold; pointless and exhausting. Knowing there was nothing for it at this point Harry stepped forward until he was in front of his dad and hugged him around the middle; "Be safe, dad. Ebony will be with you so she'll make sure you know if something is coming."

Severus wrapped his arms around Harry's back and gave him a squeeze; "I'll be fine, Harry, but I want you to promise me something. No matter what you see through Ebony's eyes you will not come to my aid. You won't rush in to save me; you will stay here where it's safe and let the adults take care of it, no matter how much you want to." The younger raven pulled away and looked into his dad's beseeching dark eyes and nodded in lieu of answering verbally.

His dad smiled and with one more squeeze let Harry go and moved to speak quietly to Lucius and give Draco a one armed hug before stepping up to the opening in the sinks. While Severus observed the opening Ebony slithered over to him and ascended his body in a circular motion until she was wrapped around his dad's body, her large head on his shoulder. Harry called to his familiar and spoke when she turned towards him; _"Keep him safe down there, Eb. If you see any snakes please speak to them and let them know dad isn't a threat to them."_

Ebony nodded regally, taking her job of protecting her Master's father seriously and turned back around and nudged Severus with her nose, lending him some support. His dad smiled down at the large snake and took a deep breath before he sat down on the tiled floor and slid into the pipe.

The rest of them waited to see what would happen and when they didn't hear any screams after a minute Harry accessed the bond he had with his familiar and looked around through her sharp eyes. The raven looked around the room Severus and Ebony were standing in; it was lit with torches, circular and dirty, filled with skeletons of rats and other small animals. It set Harry on edge when he thought about what could have brought those animals into the Chamber.

Through their bond he related his fears to Ebony and felt his familiar mentally agree that something that smelled snakelike lived down there at some point but it wasn't close to them at the time; if the unknown snake was still there at all. Harry reiterated his words about keeping his dad safe and remained silent while he watched Severus cast several spells to figure out if this place was actively warded against intruders; it was not.

His dad's dark eyes turned to look into the serpentine orbs of Ebony; "Is Harry watching us right now?" His snake nodded and Severus seeing this spoke again; "Harry, please let the Headmaster know that this place is clear of aggressive wards and you all may come down but be careful as the pipe just dumps you onto the ground."

Harry's familiar nodded once more to show his dad that Harry had listened and understood. Once the younger raven heard all his dad had to say he pulled away from Ebony's mind and blinked a few times before turning to Dumbledore; "Dad says to tell you it's safe to enter and there are no aggressive wards stopping us. Also, be careful when we slide down the pipe since it drops you onto the floor."

"There's something else I picked up when I entered Ebony's mind and looked around the room dad's in; I saw a lot of skeletons on the floor and Ebony explained she could sense some sort of serpent lived down in the Chamber but she couldn't sense it close to them. So, we should be careful; I'm not sure if the snake is still there but judging by the size of the bones we won't be encountering a simple Garter snake."

The old man nodded and walked to the open pipe, pointing his wand at the stone entranceway Dumbledore swiftly sliced the air three times and when he was done he lowered his wand and turned back toward them; "I have cleaned and placed a mild Sticking Charm on the pipe so we may descend slowly and not be dropped unceremoniously onto the floor. Lastly, I placed a ward on the pipe to prevent any animals from leaving and getting into the school."

Before he could move to enter the pipe Lucius stepped forward, stopping Harry's progress in coming closer to the pipe's opening; "I think one of us should go first then the boys and then the one adult who remains." The old man said nothing and simply ducked down and began to walk downward into the tunnel, slowly Harry lost sight of Hogwarts' Headmaster.

When they could no longer see the wizard's white hair Lucius turned back to his sons; "Now that we are alone I want to repeat what was said earlier; you are not to go off on your own no matter how interesting the situation may appear to be. Also, you both are not to interfere in anything, no matter what you see or hear."

"If either of you feel you can't agree to these requirements I will leave you with McGonagall and Flitwick. Can you both still agree to these requirements?" Draco huffed and rolled his eyes; "I can, father. I'm no fool and I don't have a death wish. If anything goes wrong down there I'm grabbing Harry and running like the hounds of hell are after us."

Harry looked at his brother and smiled, trust his blonde sibling's sense of self-preservation to trump all; he was just happy his brother would remember to grab him in his strategic retreat from the Chamber and the dangers within it. His thoughts stopped when he realized his papa was waiting for his verbal answer, apparently a mere nod would not suffice; "Papa Luc, I'll do as you ask because as much as I would like to help I know I'll only get in the way."

"But if there is a massive deadly snake down there I'm not leaving anyone to be killed or maimed if I can stop it. If I can't talk it out of hurting anyone we will all get the hell out of there. Is that alright?" Lucius just rolled his eyes and agreed to his surrogate son's compromise, knowing full well that Harry's Gryffindor tendencies to help were rearing their stubborn head and would not settle until he felt all was well.

Harry beamed in regards to his victory over his papa but didn't savor it for too long; they had things to do at the moment. Conversation over with Harry moved to enter the downward sloping stone tunnel, without a look back he walked inside the cyclinder of stone and began the tortuously slow descent into the room that held his dad and Dumbledore.

After about three minutes he reached the skeleton filled room and quickly went to stand by his parent and familiar; Ebony moved off Severus and coiled herself around Harry's feat, obviously realizing that in her twelve foot form Harry couldn't support her massive bulk. For this consideration Harry was thankful, he had no desire to face plant into the dirty floor under his serpent's heavy weight.

No one spoke again until Lucius and Draco strode into the stone chamber; when they finished brushing themselves off the older blonde surveyed the room and gestured toward the off shooting corridor; "What's down there?" Severus looked behind him and squinted his onyx eyes; "I didn't go down there to check but I did scan it with every Detection Charm I know and it came back clear so no wards or living creatures are down there."

Lucius moved toward the corridor Severus joining the blonde when he moved past him and together they advanced into the hallway, drawing their wands to the ready. All five of them twitched when more torches sprang to life, this time illuminating the dank corridor for all to see. The sight that greeted them was more disturbing than the myriad of dead animal bones; the hall was playing host to several large shed snake skins.

The skins were massive and quite beautiful, even if they were a faded representation of what the snake's true colors would look like. The coloration sparked some remembrance in Harry's memory, causing him to fervently try and remember why that color skin should make him feel uneasy.

It was when Ebony reared up in fright and hissed a sound of distress when she encountered the shed skin that the puzzle pieces fell into place; "Dad, Papa, there's a Basilisk in here somewhere! Let Ebony go in front of you since she can sense it coming closer and try and speak to it. I'll enter her mind so I can warn you if it comes close and you can get the hell out of there."

Draco stepped close to him and grasped his arm in fear, those grey eyes were blown wide in terror but even he had to laugh when Severus grumbled back; "Fine, we shall let Ebony go first and watch you language Harry James Potter-Snape or I will wash your mouth out with soap!"

Harry snorted; trust his dad to reprimand him for one little swear word in a situation like this! Really he loved the man but sometimes the older raven needed to calm down a little bit. Apparently, Lucius felt the same; "Severus, really now is not the time to correct the boy on his language besides I find his choice of words oddly appropriate for the situation."

A muffled smack was heard along with a yelp from Lucius; "Really, Lucius, we are parents and parenting doesn't stop just because the situation is dangerous. Now can we please focus on what we are supposed to be doing?" Harry heard Lucius huff but the blonde man said nothing; this made Harry smile. He loved how his parents acted when they were together, how well they worked together, and how they played off each other so well.

In his parents relationship there was no fight for dominance or argument on who would lead. Both men knew there strengths and weaknesses and saw no shame in admitting them to the other. One day Harry wanted that with someone but he had time to figure it out when he was older and more mature.

His dad's voice calling his name alerted Harry to the fact that he was needed down the hallway, quickly he made his way to his parents; "What's the...dad what are you doing with that snakeskin?"

Lucius rolled his silver eyes but remained silent; well at least the blonde wasn't going to dig the hole he was in with Severus any deeper. Severus on the other hand was grinning triumphantly while he rolled up a rather long piece of Basilisk skin; obviously feeling very pleased with himself.

Once the skin was wrapped up and slipped it into his cloak Severus looked at his confused son; "Harry, do you know how rare Basilisks are? How much any part of them goes for on the market or how useful their shed skin can be in Potions?" Harry shook his head in exasperation at his dad's sometimes one track mind; of course the skin would be used for Potions!

How could Harry be so dense as not to know that?! Forgive him for forgetting that brilliant piece of information since he thought the threat of a fully grown Basilisk should have taken the forefront of his mind not the collection of its leavings for Potions ingredients!

Exhaling a deep breath he spoke; "Dad, now that you're done collecting your prize can you tell me what you needed me for. Oh and we should call Draco and Dumbledore down here so they can hear what you have to say too."

Lucius grumbled something that sounded like insane Potions Master and their ill-timed inappropriate behavior but the blonde shut up when Severus glared murder at him. Harry eyes were probably going to get stuck inside his head with how far they rolled back; truly sometimes they acted like they were still Harry's age.

Thankfully, Severus turned to Harry, his face and eyes blank once more; "We believe this is the door that leads into the Chamber of Secrets and as such we need you to open it." Harry nibbled his lip in thought; should he open it? The Basilisk may be in there, waiting to make a meal out of them.

That was a very real possibility after all; Voldemort had passed through in his Quirrell suit and Merlin knew what the maniac told the massive snake to do to anyone who intruded. Taking another deep breath he walked forward until he was face to stone with the circular door; "Dad, if I open this I want you to let Ebony go first; I'll close the door and let her check around for the Basilisk."

"If she doesn't sense it anywhere near you can go in but if she does I won't let anyone go in. I don't want anyone to get hurt." Harry saw his dad's black eyes soften a bit and he stepped close enough to place a hand on the younger raven's shoulder; "I promise neither myself nor Lucius will go in if the Basilisk is indeed around. I cannot speak for Dumbledore but if he chooses to it is on his own head as he knows the danger of entering."

Harry nodded in understanding; Dumbledore was a grown, competent wizard if he decided not to heed Harry's warning then anything that happened was his own fault. Lucius broke into their little moment just then; "Can we please send for Draco and Dumbledore now? I want to get this over with and go home so I can take a bath, this place is disgusting."

Both ravens just sighed and looked at the grimacing blonde, each wondering why they put up with either snobbish blonde. Severus spoke, his voice loud so it would carry to where Draco and the Headmaster were standing; "The way is clear if you both would like to come down here so we may proceed." Within a minute they heard the sound of footsteps and saw the remaining two members of their group approach them.

Draco looked at the large circular door in awe of it; Harry couldn't fault him for his reverence. So far the Chamber hadn't struck any of them as grand but this door was beautiful in an eerie sort of way. The circular door was made of stone with several snakes etched in its face; some of the snakes had emeralds in their eyes and seemed to be more alive than most of their stony serpent brethren.

Harry wondered how long it would have taken someone to create something so large and detailed; this truly showed how gifted the Slytherin Founder was with magic. To create something like that door with such precision was amazing and he wondered if he should experiment with stone working as an outlet for his excess energy? Hmm it was something to think about along with taking on animagus training.

After Severus was done explaining the plan to Dumbledore and Draco he nudged Harry's shoulder, breaking him out of his wandering thoughts; "Harry, please open the door and send in Ebony." The emerald eyes wizard nodded and hissed to his familiar; _"Ebony, did you understand what I want you to do?" _The large black snake slithered forward and stopped next to him; _"I did and I will be careful Master. I know about Basilisks and what their eyes can do but hopefully the King of Serpents will not be within the Chamber."_

_"And if he is I hope to be able to speak with him so we may know if that bad man has come through here and if he is still within the Chamber." _Harry crouched down and stroked his familiar's scaly head while channeling his warm affection he felt for her and thankfulness that she was willing to risk herself for him through their bond. In turn she hissed and nuzzled his hand before pulling away and waiting for Harry to open the door.

All set the green eyed boy stood and hissed at the door, using the same password as before; _"Open." _A moment later two of the snakes with emerald eyes began to move around the door in a circular direction, each going the opposite way until they met on the left side, nose to nose, and the door made grinding sound as it opened just enough for one person to enter.

Ebony took this as her cue to enter and did so with little preamble; the minute her scaly tail slipped into the Chamber Harry closed the door with the hissed word _"Close"_ and entered his familiar's mind to see what was happening inside. In the back of his mind he heard his dad speaking to Dumbledore but he ignored it and sank completely into his familiar's mind.

Looking through Ebony's eyes Harry noted that the Chamber was a massive, rectangular room with large pillars showcasing snakes wrapped around them on the left and right. Shallow pools of murky, iridescent water were interspersed between the stone pillars; it was quite intimidating from Ebony's low vantage point.

Harry watched as his familiar made it to the end of the pillars and looked up at a twenty foot tall statue of what must be Salazar Slytherin; the man sported a long beard to his waist like Dumbledore and even in stone his robes looked rich and well-made. The stone monolith stood in a large pool of water, it's mouth was open for a reason that Harry did not know.

Seeing nothing of note the raven urged his familiar to hiss out a greeting and see what happened. The response was quick and terrifying; a monstrous fifty foot Basilisk emerged from Slytherin's open mouth and began to descend to the stone floor of the Chamber. He felt Ebony's fear and urged her to go but his brave serpent disregarded his order, not wanting leave yet until she tried her best.

The Basilisk settled it immense bulk onto the floor and shifted until it was coiled up and looking at Ebony with interest. Harry and Ebony looked away from the snake's gaze, not wanting to be petrified, and flinched when the King of Serpents gave a hissed chuckle; _"Little snake you may look at me; I will not hurt you as my Master has asked me to deliver a message to your Master Harry Potter-Snape."_

Ebony hearing her Master's name turned her head back so she could look at the snake in front of her. Instead of seeing bright yellow eyes she saw bright orange, meaning the large deadly snake had closed it second eyelid to shield Ebony from its leathal gaze. Regaining her composure quickly Harry's familiar hissed; _"What message does you Master have for mine? And who is your Master? If I may ask." _

Harry just sat back inside his familiar's head and let her do her thing; she was a snake after all and understood the ways of serpents better than Harry ever would. The monstrous snake answered; _"My Master is Tom Riddle; the Heir of Slytherin but for reason he enjoys using the name of Lord Voldemort. My poor Tom has become lost but today he seemed almost sane even if he was attached to the back of that man's head."_

_"But I digress; he asked me to extend his apologies in regards to your Master's parents' death. He wished for me to tell Harry Potter that he holds no ill will towards him for a prophecy made by a half-witted sherry guzzling mad woman."_

_"He says he wishes not to fight with Harry Potter-Snape any longer and will stay away from him and those he considers his loved ones from now on." _Harry just sat there in shock; the Dark Lord wanted nothing to do with him and would leave him be.

The man even apologized for killing his parents; not that Harry would forgive him but it was something and a hell of a lit more than Harry ever hoped to attain from the reputed cold-hearted and murderous Dark Lord Voldemort. Well this was an unexpected development and one he needed to speak to his fathers about but for now he would do what he came to do.

Harry murmured internally to Ebony that she may accept the serpent's apology on behalf of her Master and reminded her to find out if the Dark Lord was still there. His scaly friend mentally nodded and began hissing to the large snake before her; _"My Master accepts your apology. Is your Master Tom still within the Chamber or has he left? By the way King of Serpents; what is your name?"_

Another hissing chuckle was released from the fifty foot behemoth; _"My name is Astaroth and what may your name be little snake?"_ Harry swore Ebony blushed or did the equivalent of a blush when the massive snake asked for her name and leaned forward to nudge her much smaller head in a surprisingly gentle way with his massive block of a skull.

That was an odd action for the massive snake to make towards Ebony and Harry decided to inquire what it was about later when they were safely back home in France. Ebony shifted so he was facing the large snake and looking directly into its reflective orange eyes; "_My name is Ebony and would you please answer my earlier question; is you Master still here or has he gone?"_

Astaroth hissed back his reply and explained that his Master was gone and had been for quite some time. Harry felt relieved but disappointed; relieved since it meant his parents wouldn't be hurt in confronting the Dark Lord but disappointed that they didn't stop the Dark Lord from escaping with the Stone.

The Basilisk's next words snapped Harry's attention back onto the hissed conversation. _"Ebony, do you think you would be willing to visit with me down here in the Chamber? It has been a long time since I've had a companion to speak to and I've become lonely. Would you consent to visiting me here? Your Master may come as well since it is always nice to talk to a Speaker like him."_

Ebony demurred; _"I will ask him when I leave this place and when we return to the castle after the Yule holiday I will give you my answer. But now I must return to my Master and relay to the others what you have told me. Be well King of Serpents and I will return when school begins again."_

The massive snake merely nodded its massive head and moved to re-enter the statue of Salazar Slytherin but before he disappeared he explained how Ebony could get into the Chamber without using the bathroom entrance; it seemed there were several pipes that led into the Chamber that were not accessible to the students and Harry had no plan on telling anyone about the alternate entrances.

He knew with every fiber of his being that someone would try to get into the Chamber and would end up killing themselves or killing the Basilisk; that was something that would not be allowed to happen. Once Astaroth was done explaining the way to Ebony he disappeared and that was the signal for his snake to leave and rejoin the others.

Harry pulled away from his familiar's mind and settled back into his own so he could open the Chamber door and retrieve his brave serpent. His dad stepped up to his side; "What's happened, Harry? Is everything alright in there?" The emerald eyed boy looked at his dad while he hissed for the door to open and replied when the door swung inward, letting Ebony emerge; "Yes, everything is fine. Ebony spoke to the Basilisk and found out that the Dark Lord is gone, has been gone for a long while now."

Dumbledore deflated before he examined what Harry said; "Wait, Harry, you mean to tell me that the Basilisk is still alive? We must go in there and destroy it before it hurts someone." The Potter-Snape glared at Dumbledore while he hissed an indignant _"Closed." _Once he heard the satisfying clack that signaled the door had sealed itself once again he spoke to the Headmaster; "I will not be doing anything of the sort. That snake has been residing in that Chamber since Salazar's time and no one has been hurt to my knowledge."

Dumbledore looked at him with those twinkling eyes and spoke to Harry as one would a petulant child; "But the Basilisk has harmed someone, over fifty years ago it murdered a student names Myrtle Caverask or as you know her Moaning Myrtle. I cannot allow that animal to remain alive; it is a threat to the safety of the people inside this school."

Harry snorted rudely; "Really, Headmaster, where was your concern for the safety of this school, and its students, when you agreed to harbor the Stone within its walls? Astaroth will not be harmed; he was placed here by Slytherin himself and I believe a Founder's desires far surpass yours. So, I will not opening the Chamber and I will not allow you to harm him."

The Headmaster looked like he wanted to say something to force Harry to do what he wanted but was unceremoniously silenced when his dad stepped forward; "Headmaster, we've found out that the Dark Lord is no longer here and as such my son and my family are no longer required or needed. I believe it is time to leave this place seeing as Harry has made his mind up and will not be letting you into the Chamber to destroy the thousand year old serpent."

With that Severus Snape stalked away from their group and down the torch lit corridor, Lucius made to follow but stopped and glared at Dumbledore, a sneer plastered on his aristocratic face; "And Dumbledore don't think I won't be bringing this debacle up with the Board of Governors; I think you've let your position go to your head. You are the Headmaster not some omnipotent being who has the right to use this school as their own personal playground."

"Come along Harry, Draco, we're leaving. I want to be getting home soon so we may rest before we greet the day as a family." Harry smirked smugly at the Headmaster, cherishing his victory over the old man; he didn't know why he felt so strongly about protecting Astaroth but he did and until he saw concrete proof that the Basilisk had in fact murdered a student of its own free will then he would continue to keep the ancient serpent safe.

Draco strutted, proud as a peacock out of the chamber and down the hallway; no doubt the younger blonde was enjoying Dumbledore's dressing down at the hands of their parents. Harry looked away from the old man and joined his papa; together the two of them made their way to where Draco and Severus were waiting for them. Dumbledore followed at a more sedate pace, a brooding look upon his wrinkled face.

Together the five of them began the trek back up the pipe and Harry was silently grateful for the Sticking Charm, otherwise they wouldn't have made it three feet up the stone tube. After ten minutes of schlepping they re-entered the bathroom. When they were all out of the pipe Harry hissed a quiet; _"Closed." _Once the sink was back in its rightful place the little family, Ebony included, exited the bathroom and made their way out of the castle and out of the castle gates, ignoring Dumbledore's calls for them to stop. Harry had no interest in listening to the old man and it seemed his sentiments were shared by the rest of his family.

Once they passed through the wards Ebony shrunk herself back to her previous length of two-feet and slithered up and into Harry's robes, settling herself tightly around his shoulders in preparation for the uncomfortable process of apparition. After Harry nodded that his familiar was secure Severus grabbed Harry into his arms and apparated them back to their home.

When the four of them landed in the house they moved to sit down in the living room; each of them lost in their own thoughts about what happened tonight. Harry, for his part, was trying to figure out how to convey the Dark Lord's message to his family and decided the best way was to just say it. He cleared his throat and looked at his fathers, when their attention was on him he spoke; "The Dark Lord, or should I say Tom Riddle, gave a message to the Basilisk to give to me."

HIs parents and Draco room froze in fear and trepidation until Lucius grasped Severus' hand and gestured for Draco to join them on the large sofa. When the three of them were settled on the couch and looking at Harry the older blonde nodded for Harry to continue with what he had to say.

The emerald eyed wizard began to explain the message in his own words; "Riddle told the Basilisk that he has no issue with me and will leave my loved ones and me alone. He said he didn't believe in the prophecy anymore and had no issue with me. He also apologized for killing my parents. I don't know what to make of it, really. I'm not sure if the man is being sincere or trying to lay a trap for me to fall into. I'm very very confused."

Severus waved his hand at Harry in a gesture that Harry understood as an invitation to join the rest of his family on the couch. Without a second thought Harry moved to sit at his dad's side and happily allowed himself to be pulled into the older raven's embrace. The emerald eyed boy allowed himself a moment of comfort and nuzzled into his dad's side, cataloguing the scents that always seemed to hover around his dad; sage, anise, and something wild like the way the forest smelled after it rained.

He felt calmer and less confused now that he was leaning against the man he considered to be his true father. Yes, their DNA was different but while Severus may not be the father of his blood he was the father of his heart and Harry loved him more than the world.

Severus tightened his arm around Harry's shoulder before he pulled away until he could look into Harry's green eyes and spoke; "I cannot say what the Dark Lord plans to accomplish by this message but for right now we can only wait and see what happens. We will be prepared for anything. This message could either be a portent of good things to come or unspeakable horrors but I'm inclined to think it's more likely to be the former than the latter."

"Before the Dark Lord fell he was mad, a raving, paranoid lunatic with a wand. This message goes against everything I have come to believe and expect from the Dark Lord. If he was still insane he would have commanded the Basilisk to murder anyone who tried to follow him into the Chamber but he didn't; he asked the snake to deliver a message to you, Harry."

"Somehow he knew Dumbledore would call for you to open the Chamber and made sure he got his message to you in a way that Dumbledore could not interfere with it. That is a level of planning and thought I believed the Dark Lord no longer capable of. What are your thoughts, Lucius?"

The older Malfoy looked thoughtful for a moment; "I would have to agree with Severus; this message is unexpected and we don't know enough about the Dark Lord's aims and goals to make a proper guess. At this point we take his offer of a truce at face value but remain aware that his amnesty could be revoked in an instant; if that were to happen we must be prepared to do what we must to survive."

Draco shivered and sunk deeper into Lucius' side but remained quiet; Harry could sympathize with him. So much had happened tonight and it was almost too much to take in at once. The Dark Lord had the Sorcerer's Stone and was going to resurrect himself. The man he thought to be his greatest enemy had offered him and his family a tentative truce, disregarded the prophecy that until tonight had ruled both their lives since Harry's birth, and had not made a move to harm anyone in his successful attempt to steal the Stone.

It was overwhelming and that wasn't taking into account that there was a thousand year old Basilisk under the school by the name of Astaroth and if Dumbledore was to be believed the snake had killed a student over fifty years ago; was that even true? Maybe papa Luc could look into Dumbledore's claim?

Surely there would be records of such an event and he knew the girl's name so that should narrow down Lucius' search. He didn't trust anything the Headmaster said anymore, not that he ever really did. The old coot was too slippery for his own good and something about the way he looked at Harry set him on edge. Dumbledore looked at Harry like he was shiny prize that he just had to have.

But Harry was no prize, not at all, and he would not be owned or manipulated by the old man. He would attend Hogwarts and help out if he was needed, much like he did tonight, but he wouldn't be Dumbledore's do-boy. And now that his family, including himself, had a somewhat truce with the Dark Lord Harry would not interfere with the man's plans unless they hurt anyone.

Harry was still young and untrained and picking a fight with the Dark Lord was stupid, bordering on insane, and Harry may be many things but stupid isn't one of them. The raven also couldn't forget that the Dark Lord; you know what Harry was going to call him Riddle it was his true name after all, Harry couldn't just forget that Riddle was attached to Quirrell's head all term and never once had the man tried to hurt him, if anything the stuttering teacher always tried to help him in classes.

Those weren't the actions of a murder driven psychopath hell-bent on Harry's early demise. Those were the acts of a man trying to show, even if Harry was unaware of it, that he had no further quarrel with the Potter-Snape. Judging by Riddle's actions Harry had to concede that the man probably had no ill will toward him at this time but like his fathers said they would be vigilant and keep an eye out.

However, as long as Tom Riddle, or Lord Voldemort, didn't attack anyone or begin his next reign of terror Harry would stay out of his way. His parents joined the man for a reason and he was curious as to what that reason was; his dad always glossed over it since he felt it unimportant as the Dark Lord was not the same man he was when Severus and Lucius joined the Death Eaters.

Now, though, it seemed important to know what a sane Tom Riddle stood for but right now he was too tired and wrung out to think about it. Right now he wanted to slip back into bed and sleep until they had to rise in a few hours to greet the sun.

It was their Yule tradition after all and it was these steadying events that were keeping him calm, this normalcy and routine would keep his mind grounded in the here and now, stopping him from falling into the should haves, could haves, and would have's that tended to plague him when he was unsure or confused about things.

The day after Yule he would ask Lucius to investigate Dumbledore's claim of Astaroth killing a student; then he would ask his dad why he decided to follow the Dark Lord Tom Riddle. He would also question his fathers on why Dumbledore decided to keep the Stone at Hogwarts in the first place.

Then when Harry had all his answers he would really focus on how he felt about this truce with his parents murderer; sure it was a relief to not worry about being hunted down like a dog but was it best for him to stay out of the Riddle's way and not stand up to him?

He shook his head and leaned into his dad, releasing a jaw shattering yawn; "I think I'm going to turn in for the night. Will you wake me when it's time to greet the sun, please?" His dad pressed a kiss to the crown of his head; "Of course, now to bed with you. Oh and Harry I'm proud of you; you did something incredibly brave tonight and you showed great maturity and intelligence. I'm proud to call you my son."

Harry leaned back and beamed up at his dad before wrapping his arms around the older man's middle and squeezing until Severus spluttered; "Harry, child, I can't breathe!" With his smile still in place the emerald eyed wizard backed off his dad and stood, giving his papa a hug as well before he left the room to go back to sleep.

Lucius murmured his sentiments of pride in Harry's ear when they hugged, making Harry feel even better than he did before. His parents were proud of him and that meant the world to him; that's why he did what he did to make himself and his family proud and they were. Yeah, the night was shit but this moment made it worth it.

Draco just smiled and stood to leave the room with Harry so they could ascend the stairs together. When they reached the second floor landing and went to go their separate ways to their bedrooms the blonde snagged Harry's forearm in a tight grip; "I'm proud of you too, Harry. I'm proud that you didn't run off once to almost get yourself killed like a moronic Gryffindor." The raven just rolled his green eyes and pushed his brother's shoulder playfully; "Oh, well I have your sterling examples to follow, dear brother."

"For as long as I follow the examples of the all mighty Draco Malfoy I shall be fine." They both stared at each other before breaking down in a fit of giggles. Yes, this night may have brought many trials and possible tribulations to them but it was moments like this that made it all worth it.

Harry parted from his brother with a hug and made his way to his bedroom to strip down to his pajamas; his bed was calling him, hell the mattress was screaming at him to get his bottom back under the soft, warm covers. Harry didn't even have the energy to unwind Ebony from where she was still perched around his shoulders under his newly re-donned pajamas before he fell into bed and succumbed to his exhaustion.

_**Alright, this chapter really got away from me. I'm not 199% satisfied with it but it's as good as it's gonna get at the moment. I could have glazed over their excursion to the chamber but that felt wrong. I like to be as detailed as possible in my writing since I think it sets a better stage and gives the reader a change to actually imagine the scene I'm writing in their head.**_

_**Anywho, next chapter Harry has some fun with Theo; basically he gets to act like an eleven year old. And some conversation between Harry and his family about what is to come. And maybe a look into what our dear sane Dark Lord is up to.**_

_**Below is some information about Astaroth I found on Wikipedia; I found the use of the name Astaroth for the Basilisk to be very appropriate. And no Ebony and the Basilisk will not be involved sexually; I have no desire to write a snake sex scene; thank you very much! : ) They'll be friends and at some point Harry will meet Astaroth face to face.**_

_**All Mistakes Are My Own!**_

_**Astaroth **_

_**Astaroth**__ (also __**Ashtaroth**__, __**Astarot**__ and __**Asteroth**__), in __demonology__, is a Crowned Prince of __Hell__. He is a male figure named after the __Canaanite__ goddess __Ashtoreth__._

_**Background **_

_The name Astaroth was ultimately derived from that of __2nd millennium BC__Phoenician__ goddess __Astarte__,__[1]__ an equivalent of the Babylonian __Ishtar__, and the earlier Sumerian __Inanna__. He is mentioned in the __Hebrew Bible__ in the forms Ashtoreth (singular) and Ashtaroth (plural, in reference to multiple statues of him). This latter form was directly transliterated in the early Greek and Latin versions of the Bible, where it was less apparent that it had been a plural feminine in Hebrew._

_The __pseudepigraphal__ work __Testament of Solomon__, attributed to __King Solomon__ of Israel, but thought to date to the early centuries AD, mentions "Asteraoth" (in Greek) as an angel, who is opposed to the demon of power. (cf. 1 Kings 11:4-5)_

_The name "Astaroth" as a male demon is first known from __The Book of Abramelin__, written in __Hebrew__ ca. 1458, and recurred in most __occult__grimoires__ of the following centuries. Astaroth also features as an arch-demon associated with the __qliphoth__ (adverse forces) according to later __Kabbalistic__ texts._

_He is referred to in __The Lesser Key of Solomon__ as a very powerful demon. In art, in the __Dictionnaire Infernal__, Astaroth is depicted as a nude man with feathered wings, wearing a crown, holding a __serpent__ in one hand, and riding a beast with __dragon__-like wings and a serpent-like tail. According to __Sebastien Michaelis__, he is a __demon__ of the First Hierarchy, who seduces by means of laziness, vanity, and rationalized philosophies. His adversary is St. __Bartholomew__, who can protect against him for he has resisted Astaroth's temptations. To others, he teaches __mathematical__ sciences and handicrafts, can make men invisible and lead them to hidden treasures, and answers every question formulated to him. He was also said to give to mortal beings the power over serpents._

_According to __Francis Barrett__, Astaroth is the prince of accusers and inquisitors. According to some __demonologists__ of the 16th century, August is the month during which this demon's attacks against man are stronger._

_According to Ars Goetia, "The Twenty-ninth Spirit is Astaroth. He is a Mighty, Strong Duke, and appeareth in the Form of an hurtful Angel riding on an Infernal Beast like a Dragon, and carrying in his right hand a Viper. Thou must in no wise let him approach too near unto thee, lest he do thee damage by his Noisome Breath. Wherefore the Magician must hold the Magical Ring near his face, and that will defend him. He giveth true answers of things Past, Present, and to Come, and can discover all Secrets. He will declare wittingly how the Spirits fell, if desired, and the reason of his own fall. He can make men wonderfully knowing in all Liberal Sciences. He ruleth 40 Legions of Spirits."._


	12. Chapter 12

_**Please Read if You Are So Inclined…..But don't read if you get all sensitive about someone being blunt and slightly bitchy**_

_**I received a review, and I actually read it which is a rare, for one of my other fics, Harbinger, and the reviewer expressed the fact that they didn't like my writing style. The reviewer then suggested I change my style to suit them and how they desired my story to read. **_

_**Since Harbinger is completed I decided to respond via Of Unexpected because I feel these things need to be said, well more like ranted about, as they apply to this fic as well. Anyway onward with my little PSA!**_

_**First off trying to change my writing style would be the equivalent of me changing my height; damn near impossible unless it occurs naturally. I like the way I write and the funny thing is out of over 150 reviews for my other fic this person was the only one to complain about the style it was written in. **_

_**So should I change my whole fic and style to please one person? FUCK NO! And I wouldn't change anything anyway even if a thousand people reviewed saying they didn't like what I wrote. People seem to forget it is FUCKING OPTIONAL to read the stories posted on this site! **_

_**If you don't like the story as it is written STOP FUCKING READING AND GO ELSEWHERE! DO NOT REVIEW whining about it and using sarcasm, which by the way wasn't funny, to try and seem clever. This little nugget of information above applies to any of my stories that are posted on this site.**_

_**Sometimes I would love to block all reviews entirely because to be honest I don't care if you like my fic or not; as long as I like what I've written is what matters to me. If the reader enjoys it as well then that's a bonus. I write for me and no one else. If that offends some people well then as I wrote further down in my parting note cry a damn river, build a nice, sturdy, bridge, and get the fuck over it! **_

_**It's nothing personal just the way I am; you can't please everyone so you might as well please yourself is a motto I live by. Besides I would rather you just fav'd or followed the fic and didn't waste the time writing a review I probably won't respond to or most likely even read. So save your time for something more rewarding like shoe shopping.**_

_**So to close this little heart to heart chat we've been having do not review negatively towards me unless you are prepared to be told in a very subtle way TO GO FUCK YOURSELF ON A RUSTY RAILROAD SPIKE! Also, I will block you so I don't have to listen to your idiocy ever again, once was enough thank you very much.**_

_**Thanks for your attention people!**_

_**HatefulRodeo**_

_Author: HatefulRodeo_

_Story: Of Unexpected Deliveries and Doorsteps_

_Notes: Hola Lovelies! So Harry's POV for the entirety of the chapter. This chapter is mostly filler but it shows Harry being a kid. Next chapter things will be moving forward quickly. Thanks to all who fav'd and followed as we established earlier reviews are neither liked nor disliked by me, they are merely there._

_Parseltongue looks like "This"!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I will make no money from the posting of this story._

_Previously:_

_Draco just smiled and stood to leave the room with Harry so they could ascend the stairs together. When they reached the second floor landing and went to go their separate ways to their bedrooms the blonde snagged Harry's forearm in a tight grip; "I'm proud of you too, Harry. I'm proud that you didn't run off once to almost get yourself killed like a moronic Gryffindor." The raven just rolled his green eyes and pushed his brother's shoulder playfully; "Oh, well I have your sterling examples to follow, dear brother." _

_"For as long as I follow the examples of the all mighty Draco Malfoy I shall be fine." They both stared at each other before breaking down in a fit of giggles. Yes, this night may have brought many trials and possible tribulations to them but it was moments like this that made it all worth it._

_Harry parted from his brother with a hug and made his way to his bedroom to strip down to his pajamas; his bed was calling him, hell the mattress was screaming at him to get his bottom back under the soft, warm covers. Harry didn't even have the energy to unwind Ebony from where she was still perched around his shoulders under his newly re-donned pajamas before he fell into bed and succumbed to his exhaustion._

_**~*~*~*Chapter 12*~*~*~**_

Harry's plan to speak to his fathers about what happened on Yule Eve was completely thrown to the wayside in the face of the excitement of Yule and using some of the remaining free time he had during his winter break to have some fun. He planned on speaking with his dads eventually but for right now he was enjoying being an eleven year old kid for a little while.

His Yule was wonderful, watching the sun rise with his family was a great time; they all greeted the fiery ball in the sky with smiles on their faces and Harry was grateful to have these three men in his life. Sure they weren't perfect but they were his family and family wasn't about blood; family was about the love you shared with that person and the connection you shared between your hearts and souls.

For those reasons Severus, Lucius, and Draco would forever be his family, no matter what happened Harry would be there for them and he knew the feelings were reciprocated by the others tenfold. It was comforting to know he had such strong familial support, especially after the previous night's events and the upheaval they caused for him and his family.

But he didn't want to dwell on the Dark Lord, Dumbledore, or any forms of strife in his life. Harry simply wanted to enjoy his day and open his gifts; of which there were many to open, much to his dad's chagrin and papa Luc's obvious delight. It seemed Lucius went a bit overboard as usual with the gift giving but who was Harry to complain? Nope, he would shut his mouth and let Severus chide his papa later on when the older men were alone.

As he suspected he and Draco both received new brooms; a Nimbus 2000 apiece. Needless to say the rest of the gifts were opened quickly, but carefully, so the emerald eyed boy and the younger blonde could get out of the house and start soaring around the warded area of the large property their house sat on. After the gift opening was done the two boys bundled themselves up to guard aganst the cold and ran outside to sart flying.

And fly they did! Severus ended up having to come outside and call them in for an early dinner they were so caught up in playing their one on one Seeker game. When the younger raven sat down to a delicious Yule meal he was flushed and positively beaming with good cheer. It was at that moment that Harry saw his familiar for the first time that day. Ebony hadn't wanted to rouse herself to greet the sun that morning, opting to sleep in under the warm covers on her master's bed.

The black serpent was now basking in front of the large fire in the kitchen; she had also reverted back to her true size. All twelve feet of her was coiled leisurely in front of the crackling flames and Harry noticed a large bulge in her middle. The young boy wondered what his familiar could have eaten that would cause her to look so bloated; his dad answered his mental question when he saw his son's speculative gaze directed at the large snake on the hearth rug.

Apparently, Severus thought Ebony deserved a Yule gift as well and gave her a small deer to eat. Harry smiled at his dad and thanked him for thinking of his familiar; the tall raven waved him off while sitting down to eat, explaining that he felt he owed Ebony for all her help protecting his son when they were at Hogwarts and also for what she did when they were down in the Chamber of Secrets.

Still Harry couldn't keep the large, happy smile off his face; he was with his family, they were all, humans and serpent a like, enjoying a wonderful meal, and they still had two weeks or so left of their break to do with as they pleased. He'd have to write to Theo to set up a date to get together; maybe he'd ask for the Nott heir to meet him in Rue de St. Joan and then he would travel with the tall blonde back to Nott Manor so he could stay a night or two.

That sounded like a good plan and hopefully Draco wouldn't be upset that he wouldn't be joining his surrogate brother at Theo's house if he invited the young blonde with them when they went into the French wizarding district...then again Draco may not care at all. His sibling mentioned spending a little bit of time with Blaise at his mother's villa in Genoa; so maybe Harry was making a mountain out of molehill?

Only time would tell but before he got ahead of himself he would have to send a letter to Theo to see if they could make a plan. The emerald eyed boy spent the rest of the meal talking and laughing with his family; no mention of Dark Lords, meddlesome Headmaster's, or the possibility of war in the future were mentioned much to everyone's relief and utter delight.

~*~*~*Time Skip~*~*~*

Three days after Yule found the two Snape-Malfoy siblings in Paris at the renowned Rue de St. Joan. The Rue was bustling with kids and their parents; all wandering around and enjoying the last weeks of the winter holidays. Harry and Draco were seated in one of the many cafes Lucius told them about waiting for their friends to meet them; Theo was coming to see Harry and Blaise was making an appearance to keep his grey eyed sibling entertained.

The raven surveyed the crown and beamed a bright smile when he saw Theo's tall, lanky frame enter the cafe. The blonde saw them and made his way over to take a seat with them; "Harry, Draco, how has your holiday been? Anything new and exciting happen?"

Before Harry could talk and tell the blue eyed boy about the Dark Lord Blaise sat down in the last remaining chair around the square table; neither of the three boys noticed the darker skinned Italian until he was seated. The Zabini heir looked at each of the faces around the table, silently observing them before he spoke; "How have you all been? Did you get everything you wanted for Yule, Draco?"

The two siblings shot each other a look before Harry launched into an explanation of what happened on Yule Eve, getting straight to the heart of the news he wanted to tell the two other boys. By the end of the retelling the Nott heir was wide eyed and speechless. Harry knew his good friend was upset; only something completely unexpected and disconcerting could make Theo drop his cool and calm facade. It pained Harry to see his typically stoic companion this distraught but it had to be done.

Blaise on the other hand looked unaffected by the news of Voldemort's escape and imminent return. This wasn't too shocking since the Zabini family was neutral in the last war and from what he knew of the Italian family they would remain so in the coming conflict unless something major changed in the dynamics of the wizarding world and they were forced to choose a side.

Finally, Theo spoke his voice low and slight choked up; "Harry, you're joking right? Please tell me you're joking..." Harry turned to face his best friend fully, noticing that Draco and Blaise quietly left the table to give the two of them some privacy so Harry could calm the taller blonde down; "I'm sorry, Theo, I really am but I'm being completely serious. He's going to come back but like I said he's different or seems to be. Maybe he'll pardon your dad like he did mine."

"It might not be so bad in the end but if he tries to hurt you I won't stand for it. I'll fight against him if he attempts to hurt anyone I care about, Theo, so don't worry until it's time to. I know you're scared and I hate to make you feel like this but I wanted you to know what's going on. My dad already sent your dad an owl this morning to fill him in on the goings on so he knows everything and can make arrangements to safeguard you and him."

The Nott heir took a deep breath and exhaled noisily before his facade came back full force on his thin face; "Alright, Harry, I'll be alright just give me a moment to assimilate all this." A small sad chuckle left the blue eyed child's lips; "I hope we can work something out with the Dark Lord, I really do. My father is old; yes, he is powerful and intelligent but he is limited by his age and ailments."

"If the Dark Lord wanted to he could destroy him and I'm only eleven, Harry, and untrained; I'm not like you, though, I can't stand up to him knowing it is essentially a death wish but I will try to be strong for you, my father, and myself. Besides I can't leave you alone to run off like a reckless Gryffindor and get yourself killed." The emerald eyed boy pouted cutely, wondering why everyone seemed to think he was a brainless idiot who ran into every dangerous situation blind?

Sure, he was hotheaded and sometimes his body reacted before his mind caught up with what was happening but that was just the way he was. The raven saw something wrong happening and just couldn't stand for it; not the typical mentality of a Slytherin but he was the product, at least genetically, of two of the most Gryffindor Gryffindors and that Gryffindorishness, as his dad liked to call it, was offset by being raised by two ultimate Slytherins.

So in essence he was a perfect blending of the two Houses; a Slytherindor if you will. But Harry thought that was a good thing. He had the bravery and courage to stand strong against injustice but he also had the cunning and forethought to create plans when it was needed. And with Theo, Draco, and his fathers by his side he would be okay since their caution would offset his brashness, at least most of the time...

He shook his head and smiled at his friend while he reached out under the table and took Theo's larger hand in his; "We'll be alright, Theo, I promise. Whatever happens we'll stick together; all of us. But enough with this depressing stuff! Let's go have some fun! I want to go to Quality Quidditch and look around for some new Seeker's gloves and get some broomstick polish for my new Nimbus 2000."

The blue eyed boy rolled his eyes at Harry's excitement over shopping for Quidditch stuff but smiled his typical small smile and stood; "Well then who I am I to keep the great Harry Potter-Snape from his Quidditch supplies. Come on let's catch up to Blaise and Draco before one of them does something stupid and the other tries to strangle them." Harry nodded and got up, following Theo out of the cafe so the four boys could start their day in Paris' greatest wizarding quarter.

First stop for the group was in fact Quality Quidditch where Harry and Draco went wild, looking through everything in the store. Theo and Blaise followed their friends, joint looks of patient amused exasperation on their faces. Both taller boys enjoyed Quidditch; they liked watching and talking about it when the topic came up but their liking of the sport was small in comparison to Draco and Harry's almost obsessive love of the flying sport.

However, Theo and Blaise were good sports about it but after an hour of browsing Theo pulled Harry to the register and made the youngest Snape check out so they could visit another store before they had to leave. The young raven smiled a little sheepishly but bought his new gloves and polish; Draco was pouting a little but followed the three of them out of them store after he bought what he selected.

Blaise was interested in visiting one of the smaller book stores to see if he could find anything interesting to buy; Theo was in complete agreement for this stop so the two siblings followed their friends into the smallish bookshop. It wasn't too bad actually. Harry found a few small but interesting books about magical animals, one of which was about all types of magical snakes; it even had an incredibly detailed chapter about Titanoboa.

Ebony would be pleased to hear more about her species when he returned home in a couple days. Harry hadn't wanted to leave his familiar but she was starting to shed her skin and became a bit snippy and lethargic during the process so the green eyed boy left his scaly friend to her own devices. Severus and Lucius already promised to look after her to the best of their abilities, which were considerable so Harry was calm about their short separation.

Once the four of them purchased their selected books they wandered around the Rue, stopping at the magical pet shop to pick up some things for their animals. Harry bought some owl treats for Hedwig; who he adored. His owl was quite an intelligent bird, too intelligent sometimes, and frequently visited with Harry during breakfast even when she didn't have any post for him.

This happened quite often since the two out of three people who would write to him lived in the castle so Harry rarely got anything in the mail. Sometimes papa Luc would write small notes to him and Draco asking about their studies and if they needed anything but they were few and far between since the two eleven year olds typically saw the Malfoy Lord over the weekends.

He also bought a few fat rats for Ebony to munch on when she finished shedding her skin; he left them alive since he knew his familiar enjoyed the thrill of hunting her prey. She despised eating something that was already cold and dead, no matter how good the Stasis Spell used on the carcass was.

After the animal shop they wandered around more, looking at the window displays in several stores but not going inside. The Rue had a lot to offer but the boys didn't really need anything so they remained on the cobblestoned streets, window-shopping, and chatting about their holidays. Needless to say Theo and Blaise's break was very quiet, unlike Draco and Harry's adventure filled off-time.

The young raven had to smile when he listened to his blonde friend talk about the research he was looking into when it came to Arithmancy and the use of certain potion ingredients to add more power to a ritual or summoning. The Nott boy should talk to Severus about this subject. No doubt his dad would be interested in the subject as it had to do with potions, which aside from his family was Severus' great love in life.

Yes, Theodore Nott was a little bit of a nerd but Harry liked him just the way he was besides that studious mentality would take Theo very far in life. It made Harry wonder if he should start looking into Arithmancy and Ancient Runes before he elected to take them in third year; it couldn't hurt him to be ahead of the curve.

The raven had a lot riding on him and the best offence is a good defense, learning things in advance would put him ahead in the game, setting him up to succeed later on down the line. So he would most definitely be joining Theo in his side study project of exploring the subject of Arithmancy and suggest they begin looking into Ancient Runes together.

As a matter of fact, now that he thought on it, most of Harry's study time was spent in the company of his closest friend; his dad probably thought the Nott heir a great influence on his sometimes easily distracted son. There was another side of that coin too though; Theo helped Harry to stay focused on his studies while Harry helped Theo loosen up and have some fun every now and again. Together they made a great team and also they were at the top of their year at Hogwarts so obviously they were doing something right; right?

After much looking and perusing they made their way back to the little cafe they started their day at to meet up with his dad and papa Luc for dinner before they would part ways; Severus and Lucius would return to their home in the French countryside and the boys would visit their friends' houses for a couple days.

As they approached the restaurant Harry finally noticed the name of the place; Mitis Fungus or if Harry was correct The Mellow Toadstool in English. Who the hell would name their cafe The Mellow Toadstool? Well it had to be good or papa Luc wouldn't allow them to eat there; stuck up, picky, snob that the Malfoy Lord was. Well Harry would just have to see what this place offered before he judged it by its name.

After all wasn't he always advocating for people to explore something or get to know someone before you made up your mind about it? Yes, yes, he was so it would be highly hypocritical of him to not give this Mushroom...errr Toadstool place a try.

When they stepped into the cafe they noticed Severus and Lucius were already seated and sipping their glasses of wine which no doubt cost about two hundred galleons a bottle; you had to love papa Luc or you'd cry at the sheer amount of money the blonde man could spend on simple things like wine or food.

Thank Merlin his dad was around to keep the man reigned in or their house would be furnished with solid gold everything, probably even the floor. Harry had seen Malfoy Manor and the place was an homage to opulence and money; the emerald eyed boy thought it beautiful but cold and a bit garish, really. He could understand why Lucius liked to stay in their French house, even when Severus, Harry, and Draco were away at Hogwarts; it was a great deal warmer and lived in than the Malfoy ancestral home.

Harry's focused on the people around him and smiled at his dads when his group made it to the older males' table; the younger raven sat next to his dad with Theo on his other side. Blaise was next to Theo then Draco who was in between the Zabini heir and Lucius at the large circular table. As soon as their four bottoms hit their wooden chairs menus appeared in front of them.

The emerald eyed boy looked over the selection for something that appealed to him and chose the Beef Bourguignon which was served with a side of homemade noodles or more like magically made noodles but it was the thought that counted. Harry drew his wand and tapped the line that read Beef Bourguignon so the kitchen would know that was what he wanted to eat and they could get started on the cooking.

Soon everyone was finished ordering and they began to chat. His dad leaned down and murmured in Harry's ear; "Did you have a good time, my son? Did anyone try to hurt you?" The young raven rolled his eyes but smiled an exasperated smile at his dad; trust Severus to worry about him getting stalked all the way in Paris; "I had a great time. It was nice to explore a proper wizarding district without an adult forcing me to leave the store when they became bored."

That Theo had to drag him out of Quality Quidditch earlier was totally not the issue; Severus would never need to know about that as he would smugly gloat about it. The older raven smirked; "Child, there is only so much time an intelligent person can spend in that blasted Quidditch shop before they go insane. I'm sure Theodore didn't allow you to stay there as long as you liked, did he?

The Potter-Snape looked slightly sheepish and looked away from Severus but said nothing to confirm or deny his dad's assumption but he as good as told his dad that Theo had in fact had to drag him away from all that precious Quidditch equipment and supplies.

Severus chuckled lightly, reaching the correct conclusion even if Harry didn't come right out and say Theo dragged him out of the shop; "Ah so the little Nott is even more intelligent that I thought he was. How that child didn't get straight O's on his term tests I will never know."

Harry nodded in agreement to both his dad's points but said nothing; he still felt a little chagrined about his dad knowing Theo had to forcibly remove him from the Quidditch store, maybe his interest, or obsession was probably a better word, in Quidditch wasn't all that healthy?

Severus' words also made Harry think about Theo's test results; he knew how Theo hadn't gotten straight O's on his tests. The Nott heir messed up when he was trimming one of his plants during his Herbology exam and Sprout had to take off a few points from his grade. The mistake was nothing serious but every little point counted when it came to practical testing. But the green eyed raven was sure that his friend would pull straight O's on his final exams, nothing else would do for Theo in the end.

Harry was once again pulled out of his thoughts when delicious smelling food appeared in front of him. After one scrumptious bite he decided that maybe naming your restaurant The Mellow Toadstool wasn't such a bad idea after all if they produced mouthwatering food like this. It seemed his view on the quality of the food was shared by everyone since the conversations dwindled to almost nothing as they savored bites of their food.

~*~*~*Short Time Skip~*~*~*

Once they finished their meals and paid the party of six stood and left the cafe; Lucius stopped to pay his compliments on the wonderful food to a tall, grey haired man who Harry assumed was either the owner or the manager of the place. Severus led the rest of them outside and turned to face the four eleven year olds; "Alright, Harry and Theodore I will be taking you to Nott Manor. Lucius will be taking Draco and Blaise to Genoa. Harry and Draco did you remember your things?"

Harry and Draco nodded, both patting their trouser pockets where their shrunken trunks were situated. After that they waited quietly for Lucius to join them before they parted ways. While they waited Harry walked over to talk to Draco and nudged the blonde with his shoulder to get his brother's attention; "Have fun at Blaise's and I'll see you in a few days." The grey eyed boy nudged him back; "I will. You have fun at Nott's and stay out of trouble for once."

The emerald eyed eleven year old just rolled his eyes; "Only if you promise to stay out of trouble as well." His sibling sniffed haughtily; "I am a Malfoy and a Malfoy never, ever, acts uncouth." Everyone, including Severus, laughed but promptly shut up when Lucius approached and asked them what was so funny.

No one wanted to tell the temperamental elder blonde that they were chuckling at one of the many Malfoyisms Lucius was so fond of spouting on occasion. Now that his papa was there proper goodbyes were said before Severus grasped Theo and Harry around the waist and told them to hold on tight.

Once the two eleven year olds had a firm grip on the tall man his dad spun on his heals and with a crack they were gone.

~*~*~*Time Skip~*~*~*

Nott Manor was amazing! There was so much to do there; they even had a Quidditch pitch at the back of the property, something Harry took advantage of right after breakfast on his second day there. Theo even humored him and played a couple rounds of Seeker games with the raven before he left Harry to his own devices. The only thing that would have made the experience better was if he had his Nimbus 2000 to ride on but Theo's brooms were alright, a bit old but in great condition.

The Lord Nott was cordial toward Harry and Theo wasn't joking when he said the man was aged. Harry had caight glances of the man who was his best friend's father but he never really looked. The Nott Lord had to be around ninety years old at least but you shouldn't let that fool you; the elder man's eyes were still sharp and wily. You would be a fool to underestimate him simply because he was aged.

Other than at meals and when he first arrived Harry didn't see Lord Theodred Nott very often. Theo explained that his father was often in his office all day, writing missives or reviewing reports sent to him from one of the many companies the Nott family owned. But Harry did know that his dad spoke to the Nott Lord when they'd first arrived there.

What the two adults spoke about the green eyed boy couldn't be sure about but he had an idea that it was about the Dark Lord's possible movements and what he could be up to and what it meant for the Nott family. Plus, Severus probably threatened the other man to keep Harry safe while he was staying at their Manor; not that it was necessary but his dad was a little paranoid. How else had the man survived being a spy against the Dark Lord for so many years before the man fell that Halloween night? It was definitely not by being stupid and careless.

But so far Harry was having the time of his life. He was sad that he had to leave tomorrow after only spending two days at Nott Manor. Between the Quidditch pitch, the stables full of amazing magical horses, and the beautiful gardens Harry would miss this place very much. Nott Manor wasn't like Malfoy Manor; Theo's home was well decorated and possessed elegance but it wasn't overwhelming.

The rooms that formal guests normally didn't access like the family room were furnished comfortably with large, soft, brown leather sofas and chairs. The wooden floor was covered in slightly worn, fluffy rugs and a large crackling fire that warmed the whole space, even with the freezing English temperatures at night, dominated almost one whole wall. Theo's Manor was exactly what Harry hoped the Potter's ancestral home was like; well he hoped it wasn't decorated entirely in red and gold either.

This break was wonderful but Harry was excited to get back to school. He loved Hogwarts and loved learning all there was to know about magic. Granted some of the things they learned were completely useless but it was magic so it was worth it to know just for the sake of it. Plus, if he ever had kids he could entertain them by changing a table into a pig or some other random barnyard animal.

The best thing about this winter vacation was he got to be just a kid for a little while; he and his friends got to run around the Rue de St. Joan for the day and have dinner out with his family before coming to a friend's house for a sleepover. For a few days he was allowed to be a kid, not the boy-who-lived or whatever name they were referring to him as but a normal eleven year old boy.

Unfortunately, Harry knew that as soon as he returned home he would have to talk to his dad about the things that haunted him when he was alone at night right before sleep claimed him. He had held off facing it for a little while in favor of relaxing and having fun but it was time to face all that went down and came about on Yule Eve.

Harry was thankful that his family understood Harry's need for some time to himself and didn't mention the Dark Lord to him directly. Even Theo seemed to understand his friend's reluctance to speak about Voldemort or anything about that night when he was called to Hogwarts to assist the old Headmaster; with the exception of Harry explaining what happened to him that day in Paris the Nott heir stayed silent on the topic and joined Harry in enjoying their time together.

The things going on in his life were sometimes almost too much for the eleven year old to handle but he would shoulder the burden because he wouldn't allow himself to back out and leave his responsibilities to someone else. Sure he would have to grow up quicker than most of his classmates and that kind of sucked but if it kept him, his family, and those he cared for alive and well it was worth it.

But for now he was going to fly around the Nott's Quidditch pitch with Theo and whoop and yell like the eleven year old child he was. These moments may not be guaranteed in the near future and he wasn't stupid enough not to cherish the simple joys of spending time with the person closest to him outside of his family.

_**So Harry got to be a kid for a little while but alas it will end and things will move forward sort of quickly. The Dark Lord will be making an appearance soon and some time skips will be coming too since I don't think you all care about the mundane facts of Harry's life. **_

_**Also, I know I said I was going to pair Draco up with a chick but I don't want to...I want to put him with Blaise and guess what I am since none of the HP females are interesting to me and creating an OFC would be too troublesome. So hopefully no one has an issue with this and if you do well then deal with it as it is non-negotiable so cry a river, build a nice, sturdy, bridge, and get the fuck over it cause it ain't gonna to change.**_

_**This story is becoming an epic; which is something I should have seen coming but I didn't. Oopppsss! Anywho, that being said updates may be coming slower since I have a life outside of writing and sometimes there aren't enough hours in the day and I refuse to publish subpar chapters for the sake of posting something for the sake of it to appease the readers following the story. Patience Please!**_

_**As Always All Mistakes Are My Own!**_


	13. Chapter 13

_Author: HatefulRodeo_

_Title: Of Unexpected Deliveries and Doorsteps_

_Notes: We will be in Severus' POV this chapter. Some plot ahead and some filler too. _

_Oh and if anyone is wondering why Harry's scar didn't hurt when Voldemort was near him here is my reasoning; since the Dark Lord is saner and not actively loathing Harry their connection has stayed pretty dormant, only coming out of hibernation enough to give Harry his Parselmouth ability. As Harry matures and Voldemort gains strength the connection may become stronger between them but it will not be like it was in Canon, obviously. Anyway, I hope that clears up any questions anyone may have._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I will make no money from the posting of this story._

_Previously:_

_Harry was thankful that his family understood Harry's need for some time to himself and didn't mention the Dark Lord to him directly. Even Theo seemed to understand his friend's reluctance to speak about Voldemort or anything about that night when he was called to Hogwarts to assist the old Headmaster; with the exception of Harry explaining what happened to him that day in Paris the Nott heir stayed silent on the topic and joined Harry in enjoying their time together._

_The things going on in his life were sometimes almost too much for the eleven year old to handle but he would shoulder the burden because he wouldn't allow himself to back out and leave his responsibilities to someone else. Sure he would have to grow up quicker than most of his classmates and that kind of sucked but if it kept him, his family, and those he cared for alive and well it was worth it._

_But for now he was going to fly around the Nott's Quidditch pitch with Theo and whoop and yell like the eleven year old child he was. These moments may not be guaranteed in the near future and he wasn't stupid enough not to cherish the simple joys of spending time with the person closest to him outside of his family._

_**~*~*~*Chapter 13~*~*~***_

It was two days after Harry returned from Nott Manor that his son appeared to want to broach the subjects he'd been avoiding with his parents and older brother. It was during breakfast time and Severus knew that something was going on with the younger raven; anytime Harry was this quiet and introspective something had to be wrong or something was about to go pear shaped.

Severus just hoped he and Lucius would be able to answer all the questions his son had for them. He despised not being able to answer a question and he abhorred not being able to tell his Slytherin children, especially Harry and Draco, the information regarding the hiding of the Sorcerer's Stone within Hogwarts' walls.

The Potion Master wanted so badly to warn his son about the Headmaster's plans for him. However, the damn old coot forced a vow of silence on the older raven. Dumbledore knew Severus wanted to stay at Hogwarts to watch over Harry and Draco and used that as leverage to get Severus to agree to keep his silence on the matter of the damnable Stone.

Quirrell's involvement was a shock though. The onyx eyes wizard never would have guessed that Quirrell of all people would be the one to steal the stone let alone have Voldemort attached to his person. That well known saying was true once again; it was always the person you'd least expect.

But it wasn't like Severus thought anyone would try to steal the Stone in the first place; he'd thought that Dumbledore was setting up this little dubious situation for his son's benefit.

However, even if the old coot only brought the Stone in for safekeeping at Hogwarts it was a reckless action and in the end unsuccessful. The Dark Lord now had the Stone and who knew what he would do with it?! Resurrection was the most likely option and it made Severus shiver in fear when he thought of what couod possibly happen in the near future for the magical world.

But that soul deep fear was tempered after Harry explained the message given to him via the Basilisk on the Eve of Yule. It appeared the Dark Lord wanted to leave them be. When had his former master become so willing to forget a person's past transgressions? Especially when it came to Severus' treachery during the First War? It was just not like the Voldemort he'd come to know.

Maybe his Lord truly was becoming saner or at the very least a little more willing to think before he acted. He wouldn't hold his breath that this was the case but he couldn't help but hope a little bit. It would be nice not to have to watch his back from fear of being hunted down like a rabid Nundu. Harry, his child in all but blood, would be allowed to live in peace without fear; if Dumbledore would allow it that was.

But he could deal with a batty old man in stride; the Dark Lord was a whole other matter entirely, at least Dumbledore would generally keep their battle legal and fair. His former master made no such bargains or concessions.

With a quick mental breath Severus looked at his brooding raven haired son and spoke; "Harry, care to tell us what's wrong?" Those emerald green eyes snapped up in surprise almost making the older man roll his eyes; Harry should know better than to underestimate Severus' powers of observation after all this time. He watched his son think about what he wanted to say before he actually began talking and wondered if the boy would ever learn how to camouflage his emotions completely?

It didn't really matter one way or the other to Severus. Harry was Harry; a Slytherindor through and through as the young man proclaimed. The onyx eyed man could testify that Harry, and Draco, possessed devious Slytherin minds but while the young blonde child had no problem holding his blank mask most of the time Harry didn't bother trying all that hard to keep his mask on. Well at least you always knew where you stood with the younger raven. His child didn't beat around the bush he slithered right under it and sprung up in your face.

Harry's hesitant voice finally broke the silence and tension surrounding the breakfast table; "Why did you and papa Luc join the Dark Lord?" Well that was unexpected but maybe Severus should have seen it coming. He and Lucius were as honest as they could be with their boys and both knew their fathers were Death Eaters a long time ago so it was only a matter of time before one of them got curious as to why their parents joined a madman in the first place.

With a sigh the onyx eyed wizard began to explain his reasons, which were coincidently similar to Lucius' own; "Harry, Draco, what you have to understand is that the Dark Lord was not always so unstable and psychotic as he is now, or possibly was... Anyway, moving on... it is true that he has always been ruthless and cruel but not to the extent of what he became towards the end. When Luc and I joined he was still working toward the segregation of our world from the muggles' but the horrid guerilla tactics, like raids, were not yet being done."

"However, as time passed the Dark Lord began to lose his grip on reality. He could no longer formulate a plan that would work in our favor in terms of current and future plans of action. I don't know what happened to him, no one really does, but once his grasp slipped that was when the violent raids started and then the torture began. Before long we were just a bunch of murderous terrorists killing indiscriminately."

"Lucius and I did not sign up for that. We joined to help make our world a better place, to make sure our traditions and lore did not become obsolete and obscure by the influx of muggleborns and muggle raised children entering our world. We, with the exception of a few Death Eaters, wanted to integrate these children into our society much earlier, provide them with literature and learning aids to help them adjust to the magical world."

"As you both know when a muggleborn or muggle raised child comes to Hogwarts they have only known about the magical world for a few months, if that. To expect a child to learn all there is to know about the magical world in a few measly months is absurd and unfair, not just to the muggle raised but to the magical raised children too. Tell me how much do these muggle raised kids slow down your classes?"

"Quite a bit from what I see as a teacher. The Dark Lord wanted to change that and put everyone on a more even playing field but people like Dumbledore didn't want it for some reason. And when it looked like the Dark Lord was finally making progress in our cause he changed and became brutal and violent, making it easy for people like Dumbledore to discount his views and proposals as insane or irrelevant."

"Lucius and I became disillusioned with the Dark Lord but Lucius never took steps to oppose him. This is probably why he is still alive today. Lucius doesn't have the skill in Occlumency to withstand a full on mental attack from our Lord; he would break through Lucius' shields in little time and then everything Luc knew our Master would know as well."

"I didn't turn against him until he chose to come after your family, Harry. But once he set his sights on them I went to Dumbledore and pleaded with him for help. The old coot gave his assistance but at a price; the price was me spying on the Dark Lord and other Death Eaters, and reporting back so he knew what was going on."

"I want you both to know that Dumbledore doesn't care for the individual. That man is all about the Greater Good; he would and will sacrifice you for the greater picture. I tell you this not to turn you completely against the old goat; Merlin knows the Headmaster has done a good job of that on his own. I told you boys this so you know where you stand with him and his side."

"Oh and he does have a side make no mistake about it. Dumbledore is the Light while the Dark Lord is, as redundant as it is, the Dark. It is a shame that people believe Dark magic is evil and Light magic is good. I can kill you with a well-placed Diffindo as easily as I could an Avada but no one wants to talk about that at the end of the day and nothing ever changes."

"That was another objective the Dark Lord was fighting for; he wanted all magical people to be allowed to practice however they wanted and have the option to explore whatever branches of magic they wanted as long as no one was being injured. But it all went cauldron up when our former Lord went round the bend and started casting Crucio's like they were Stupify's."

"Does that answer your questions, Harry?" Dark eyes sought out not only Harry's eyes but Draco's as well. Both children looked thoughtful and it was Draco who broke the silence first; "So what are we going to do now? I mean we all know what the Dark Lord told Harry on Yule Eve; he allegedly wants nothing to do with us but if he is becoming sane again should we join him? It's just his goals sound like something we should support."

"I know Harry thinks something needs to be done about the muggle raised slowing down the magical raised kids in classes. I'm just a bit leery of giving our allegiance to a man who tried and almost succeeded in killing my little brother. How do we know he won't turn on Harry or all four of us at his earliest convenience? We need some kind of assurance other than second hand words from the Dark Lord's Basilisk before we can go forward with an alliance or give any support."

Severus looked at Lucius feeling very proud that their eleven year old son had summed up their position and hesitancy to move forward regarding the Dark Lord so succinctly. Lucius leaned back in his chair, completely eschewing propriety for the sake of comfort; "Indeed, Draco that is the issue. I want to support and side with the Dark Lord but I will not support him if he tries to threaten my family in anyway."

"If the chance comes for Severus and me to speak with him we will go and try to broker an agreement, maybe through a vow or magical contract. But trust me when I say we will not go into anything blind and we will not bend in certain things when it comes time to negotiate our terms. I will not support a madman again. Severus and I barely survived it the last go round and I am not in any rush to be Crucio'd for every little thing again."

Harry nibbled his lip and Severus wondered what his son was going to bring up next. Those emerald eyes looked directly into his onyx orbs; "What about the prophecy? What did it say exactly?" Lucius grasped Severus' hand and gave it a supportive squeeze, letting the older raven know he was there and would support him through this very difficult discussion; "Now as I told you, Harry, at the time I heard prophecy, well the beginning of it, I was still a loyal Death Eater. I want you to remember that."

Seeing his raven haired son nod Severus continued; "I overheard the first half of the prophecy before I was caught eavesdropping and was thrown out of the pub. I immediately sought out my Lord and relayed the information to him. In the end he narrowed down the one to be his downfall was either you or Neville Longbottom. When the time came he selected you as his destroyer and went to Godric's Hollow and we all know how that went."

"But I'm getting off topic aren't I?" Taking a deep breath Severus recalled the phrases that changed not only his life but the lives of three males seated with him. "The part of the prophecy I overheard goes like this; The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches … Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... that was the only part I heard before I was ejected from the bar."

Severus watched his expressive emerald eyed child's face go through many changes in emotion. First he was thoughtful, then confused, then angry, and finally resignation settled heavily on Harry's young face. "Dad, I don't understand. That was all you told the Dark Lord and he still came after me? It just seems so ridiculous to take the words of a prophecy, and not even a full one at that, so seriously."

"I can't believe those few verses are the reason he started to hunt me and my parents. It's...it's unreal and I don't know how to feel about it. I mean how anyone could want to kill another person, let alone a whole family, over a prophecy. It's...I don't even know what to say...I'm shocked that it was that simple. I thought the prophecy would be something with more meaning, something more specific."

"How did the Dark Lord know the prophecy meant a child being born in England? It could have been a child born to someone who thrice defied him and then had a child in another country...it's just so broad and open to interpretation." After that Harry went silent and the rest of their little family let the ruffled young raven have his time to formulate his next words.

After five minutes Harry's face darkened and he began to speak again; "And let me guess this prophecy is why Dumbledore is so interested in me. He thinks I'll be the Dark Lord's downfall and that's why he tried to test me with the Stone this last term...Salazar this is getting ridiculous! Is Dumbledore insane? I'm eleven years old and there is no way I'm in any way shape and or form ready to stand up against the bloody Dark Lord!"

Severus didn't scold him for his language. He merely remained quiet and let his boy rat a bit. "Dad, papa, I may never be able to stand against him and I don't know if I want to. This world, our world, needs to change and if he can bring about those changes without violence then I don't know if I want to stand in his way."

"I heard the reasons you and papa joined him and I understand why you did now; I think I would too if offered. But Draco's right; none of us can truly support him or his plans until he promises not to hurt us in any way through any avenue available to him."

Severus nodded in agreement; "I agree with overhunting you've said, my child. For right now we will do as the Dark Lord says and stay out of the way of his goals. However, should he begin to fall into his old ways then we will stand against him. There's just too much up in the air right now to do anything concrete with."

"We don't even know where the man is and if he is accepting post, which I highly doubt as mail can be traced easily through various means. I highly doubt the Dark Lord wants the Aurors busting down his door at the moment due to a simple letter."

A hiss and the feeling of a large serpentine body slithering up Severus leg let him know that Ebony had made her first appearance since she began the process of shedding her skin. She looked much better for the most part; there was still a few places where the skin needed to be rubbed off but most of the dead skin had sloughed off during the last four days.

Severus happily collected Ebony's shed snakeskin, just like he did the Basilisk's, and couldn't wait to begin experimenting with them both. Lucius was quite amused to watch his normally stoic and proper lover on his knees, a large grin on his face, as he rolled up Ebony's skin like a kid opening presents on Yule morning.

However, Lucius then became jealous that he'd never seen the onyx eyed man so happy to be on his knees in front of him and that led Severus and Lucius to an hour of sexual distraction. Sometimes the Malfoy Lord's jealousy was childish but most of the time it led to mind blowing sex for both of them so Severus was inclined to let Lucius continue to be a possessive, jealous brat.

The large black snake's top half was now wrapped securely around Severus' shoulders while the rest of her was still resting on the floor. She wouldn't return to her smaller size until all her skin was shed from her body; the older raven would ask Harry to see to this so she could return to Hogwarts with him when they all left for the new term.

Draco clearing his throat brought everyone's wandering attention back onto to the fact that they were still having an important discussion about where things stood; "So Dumbledore believes this prophecy and that's why he is so fixated on getting Harry to be his Golden Boy?"

"And this same prophecy, or a portion of it, is what made Harry become the Dark Lord's prime target but now the Dark Lord is willing to leave Harry, and us, alone if we all stay out of hios way. However, we won't be taking his word on it until we have some kind of agreement. I am correct in what I've said so far?" Lucius responded; "That about sums up the major points and of course we will have to watch Dumbledore for any further tricks."

"Honestly, I cannot wait to for the next Governor's meeting; I will be bringing up the incident on Yule Eve and how he is using Hogwarts as a glorified Gringotts vault and keeping dangerous artifacts within its walls. I'm sure we can at least get him fined and reprimanded. Unfortunately, Dumbledore still has too much sway on the Board to get him fired but any stain on the old man's sterling image is a win for us."

Harry bit his lip; "Papa, can you not mention the Basilisk. I don't want him to die or be hunted down. He seems like an agreeable snake and Ebony likes him; Eb's a great judge of character so I trust her judgment on Astaroth. She says he okay and I believe her. Besides I could learn so much about Slytherin, Hogwarts, and just history all around from a thousand year old snake."

"But if people find out they'll want to hurt him and he'll never have peace and they'll try to get into the Chamber and destroy it...I don't want it destroyed, papa." Lucius smiled at the young raven and chuckled when Harry's expression turned into an adorable pleading expression, almost like a begging puppy; "All right, Harry, I'll remain quiet about Astaroth but I would have anyway after you defended him so vehemently to the Headmaster."

"But I must warn you to be careful if you chose to enter the Chamber. Not just because of the Basilisk but Dumbledore may be watching the bathroom entrance and attempt to enter the Chamber after you. If you must go down be sure to close the sink so no one may follow you. Oh and Draco..." The younger blonde perked up to listen to his father; "You may go down to the Chamber once Harry gives you the all clear."

That brought a pout onto the petite blonde's face; "But why do I have to wait and Harry doesn't?" Ebony's hissy chuckle made every human eye in the room turn to her; "_Because silly human my master can talk to us and a serpent cannot lie to a speaker so if Astaroth tells Harry he will not hurt him or his family he will have to abide by his word. Then it will be safe for you to come down to see the Chamber._"

Everyone, including the large black snake, turned to look at Harry for the translation of what Ebony just explained. The emerald eyed kid smirked and explained what his intelligent serpent just said; "Basically a snake cannot lie to a Parselmouth and if the Basilisk gives its word to me that it will not hurt me or any of you it will be safe for you to come into the Chamber."

"Papa, did you know about the fact that a snake couldn't lie to Parselmouth?" Lucius smirked proudly; "I did. When I found out the Dark Lord could speak Parseltongue I started to research it. I didn't find much but I did find a few things about them scattered throughout the Malfoy Library. The fact that they cannot lie to a speaker was one of them and a snake, unless bonded to a Master, must obey a Speaker's commands."

Harry nodded; "So the Basilisk will obey me or is it still considered bonded to Salazar Slytherin?" Severus thought about that for a moment; "No, I don't think so. If Slytherin bonded to Astaroth wouldn't he have died when Salazar died? By the fact that he is still alive and under the school I would say he is un-bonded and would actually listen to you Harry so be careful what you say to him as he will listen to you without question."

His son nodded vigorously; "I will, dad. I don't want anyone to be hurt because of me. I wonder though if something like that happened when the Dark Lord was at school. Remember when Dumbledore said Astaroth already killed one student? Do you think that the Dark Lord may have accidently set him on a student?"

Severus grimaced; "Harry, you must remember the Dark Lord is not a nice man even when he was sane. I wouldn't put it past him to have actually meant to kill Myrtle but I cannot say one way or the other. But I do know that Astaroth didn't do it on his own accord, seeing as he has been down there for over a thousand years and Myrtle was the first student to be harmed by him."

Lucius joined in once Severus was finished; "I agree with Severus but I wonder why this event with the Basilisk harming a student was not publicizes or at least written down somewhere. I makes me wonder; did Dumbledore hush it up? Or did it go down in history another way? I wouldn't put it past our former Lord to pin Myrtle's death on someone else."

"I'll have to look into this a bit more. Something just doesn't line up with what Dumbledore said and what is written down in history." While Lucius was talking the resident Potion Master noticed his son looked relieved that Lucius was going to look into Myrtle's death. What a smart child he had! It seemed even Harry was intrigued about the events that happened over fifty years ago and why no one knew about what truly went on in that bathroom.

Severus was just as curious; he knew about Moaning Myrtle, everyone did, but no one knew how she came to be in that bathroom. All anyone knew was that she died while at school and in a school full of underage wizards accidents happened so her ghost being there could have been due to a horrible potions accident or something like that.

It made him curious and suddenly Severus was just as interested in what Lucius uncovered about Moaning Myrtle as their son was. If they found out that Dumbledore hushed it up, like he did with the Lupin incident, than Severus wanted the old coot gone. Hogwarts was a school not the man's personal playground to do as he pleased with.

With a sigh the older raven shifted Ebony until she was slithering off of his body and over to Harry. Once free he stood and began to clear the dishes from the table. Severus knew he could have used magic but he felt the need to move and just do something after the discussion they just finished having. By rout he stacked the plates and moved to the sink where he filled the basin with hot water and soap.

Before long Lucius was bringing the rest of the dishes to him and drying the washed cutlery after the tall blonde completely cleared the table. Harry and Draco excused themselves to, no doubt, fly around outside; Severus would have to check to make sure they completed the homework assigned to them over break.

It was nice, calming even, to do the dishes by hand; it allowed his mind to just relax and be blank for a few minutes. And while the previous conversation was mentally tiring it was nice to have it all out there in the open. Harry and Draco had a right to know what was going on and what happened in the past that made things go down the way they did. It saddened Severus very much that his boys wouldn't have normal lives but it made him happy that they had each other.

Just like Severus had Lucius to support him through the tough times Harry had Draco and from what the onyx eyed man saw when they were shopping in France Theodore Nott as well. Also, his blonde son seemed to have picked up quite the shadow in Blaise Zabini. The knowledge that his children had people to be there for them made the older wizard relax a little bit.

It made him feel at ease to know that if he, or Lucius, couldn't be there at least Theodore or Blaise would be around to assist their boys. Once the dishes were dry and put away the two men left the kitchen and settled in the sitting room with their books. Severus enjoyed the silence interspersed with crackling of the fire, the comfortably warm atmosphere, and the new book given to him by Lucius as a Yule gift; this was the way life should be over school breaks.

And Severus was going to enjoy every damn moment of this quiet time before he had to go back to teaching dunderheaded morons while dealing with an overly nosy Headmaster with a sense of entitlement the size of the North American continent.

_**Alright, so we have addressed some things in this chapter and my god could it have been any longer? Well I hope you all enjoyed it! As I said before some time skips are coming so heads up!**_

_**Next time hopefully we will get to our beloved Dark Lord and I will give you some slash; who will be featured is up in the air...LOL just have to wait and see! : ) **_

_**Also, to anyone following my other fics I will be trying to update Sirius' Awakening next but I probably won't get anything posted for another two weeks or so. I'm rotating my updates and Awakening is next on the list then Past Ghosts then Only Black then back to Of Unexpected again. So sit tight and I'll get something posted ASAP.**_

_**And I think that's it for me. **_

_**As Always All Mistakes Are My Own!**_


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